You might not like caterpillars eating plants in your garden, but without them we wouldn’t have butterflies.
‘So what?’ you ask.
Well, butterflies do more for us than just adding colour and beauty to our gardens. Here’s a few of the ways they help the planet:
1. They pollinate plants in your garden
Butterflies are great for your garden as they are attracted to bright flowers and need to feed on nectar.
When they do this their bodies collect pollen and carry it to other plants. This helps fruits, vegetables and flowers to produce new seeds.
The majority of plants need pollinators like bees and butterflies to reproduce.
2. They’re an indicator of a healthy environment
A garden that attracts butterflies will also bring native bees and birds.
They are all really good for the environment and play a role in increasing biodiversity – the variety of plants, animals and micro-organisms and their ecosystems.
Unfortunately for butterflies, they are also an important — though low-level — member of the food chain.
They’re a food source for birds, spiders, lizards, mice and other animals. Caterpillars are also eaten by bats, birds and other animals.
If butterfly populations diminish (or disappear altogether!), the impact will be felt higher up and can affect the entire ecosystem.
Because butterflies are so sensitive to habitat and climate change, scientists are monitoring them as one way of observing the wider effects of habitat fragmentation and climate change.
3. They make us happy
Naturalist and veteran broadcaster Sir David Attenborough says spending time in nature – even just watching butterflies in a home garden – is good for our mental health.
‘A few precious moments spent watching a stunning red admiral or peaco*ck butterfly feeding amongst the flowers in my garden never fails to bring me great pleasure,’ he said.
How we can help protect butterflies
We need butterflies, but it could also be argued that since they’ve been around for millions of years, they deserve to be protected. Here are some ways you can help protect butterflies:
- You can help by providing the right habitat for them. Each species’ caterpillars will only eat a specific plant type. In South Australia this includes grasses, sedges, pea flowering plants, bushes and mistletoe. By planting these, you will encourage butterflies to lay caterpillar eggs in your garden.
- Try to minimise chemical use in your gardens, as pesticides and chemicals are lethal to all insects, including caterpillars.
- Butterflies are fussy eaters and like citrus, snapdragons, crepe myrtle, wattles, tea trees, bottlebrushes, lavender, banksia, daisies and verbena. Include a variety of these nectar- producing plants in your garden to ensure that there is butterfly-friendly food available throughout the year.
You can learn more about butterflies and how to attract them to your garden by visiting the Butterfly Conservation SA website. Or learn from gardening guru Sophie Thomson as she provides advice about creating a butterfly habitat.
Would you like to attract more beneficial fauna to your garden? Read our story on attracting birds to your garden. You could also try building an insect hotel to encourage beneficial insects to stay.
Main image: common brown butterfly (image courtesy of Ed Dunens in line with Creative Commons licensing)
This story was originally posted in December 2018.
FAQs
They pollinate plants in your garden
Why are butterflies important to our environment? ›
Plant Pollination
Like bees and other pollinators, butterflies pick up pollen while they sip a flower's nectar. Once they're off to another plant, the pollen goes with them, helping to pollinate the plant species. About one third of the food people eat depends on the work of pollinators such as butterflies.
What would happen if butterflies went extinct? ›
The birds would lose a food source, and their decline is the proverbial “canary in the coal mine” for other pollinators. If other pollinators decline like monarchs, it could have impacts on the food that humans rely on.
Is raising butterflies good for the environment? ›
But either way, the evidence shows that raising and releasing monarchs isn't a good conservation strategy. “Our resources may be better spent on habitat conservation and fighting climate change, rather than rearing armies of monarchs,” Ms. Tenger-Trolander said.
Why are monarch butterflies important to the ecosystem? ›
As pollinators, the monarch butterfly migration across the continent provides an invaluable service, essential for many ecosystems to thrive. It is thanks to pollinators, such as butterflies, bees, and other insects, that we have many of the flowers and dietary staples that we enjoy, like squash and blueberries.
What is a butterflies' purpose in life? ›
Butterflies serve as pollinators for many species of flower and flowering crops, fruits and vegetables. Butterflies and their larvae serve as an important source of food for many birds, small animals and invertebrates.
What is so special about butterflies? ›
Did you know that butterflies can see colors that we cannot? This is because they can perceive ultraviolet light, which is outside the scope of our visual capabilities. Additionally, many butterflies' wings include these “unknown” ultraviolet colors to attract mates.
Is it ethical to raise butterflies? ›
Butterfly farming emerges as a sustainable beacon in the butterfly industry, characterized by its approach of rearing butterflies rather than taking them from their natural habitats. This method represents more than just a practice; it's a testament to a significant dedication to conservation and ethical values.
Is it illegal to raise monarch butterflies in the US? ›
It is unlawful to take possession of live monarchs, breed and rear them in captivity, and conduct other interventions including covering eggs, larvae, and adult butterflies with nets, and transporting Monarchs to different locations. Canada and Mexico also restrict Monarch handling.
Is releasing butterflies good for the environment? ›
it is really a particularly long-lasting form of environmental pollution. Butterflies raised by unregulated commercial interests may spread diseases and parasites to wild populations, with devastating results.
Birds and insects are critical pollinators; in fact, more than 80 percent of land plants are pollinated by animals such as butterflies. Pollen sticks to the bodies of pollinators when they feed on nectar, a sugary fluid produced by flowering plants to attract pollinators.
What is the cultural significance of the butterfly? ›
Butterflies have long been appreciated in Chinese culture as symbols of love, freedom, romance, and beauty. The image of butterflies lingering over flowers often suggests the felicitous union between a male and a female as women are often likened to blossoms.
Is having butterflies a good thing? ›
Feeling butterflies in your stomach can be a good thing at times. They often show up when you're excited or anticipating something new. It's a natural part of your body's reaction to certain situations, and can signal that you're stepping out of your comfort zone—which can be a positive step toward growth.
What do butterflies symbolize? ›
Butterfly History
Native Americans have considered butterflies as symbols of transformation, hope, and rebirth. In Chinese culture, the symbolism of butterflies evokes the qualities of freedom, earthly beauty, love, and the human soul.
