Gossamer Wings and Creeping Things: Florida Butterflies

Poets use them as metaphors. Children try to catch them. Artists capture them on canvas. Whether it's the fascination of a creature that makes such a dramatic lifetime transformation or just an appreciation of the butterfly's striking patterns and colors, interest in the insect spans ages and occupations.

Florida is attractive butterfly territory. You can find butterflies everywhere in Florida, but some of the best viewing is in county, state and national parks. Of the 750 butterfly species in North America, 180 species can be found in Florida -- although many of those are rare or casual visitors.

"In terms of total numbers, I think Florida compares well with most other states," said Dr. Walter Gould, a South Florida entomologist and butterfly expert. "On a good day in a 15-mile count circle, sighting 50 species is a very good count. Our populations usually peak in the fall (at the end of the rainy season before it gets cold and dry). One unique thing about South Florida is that you can see butterflies almost every day of the year."

The most common butterflies in Florida include the monarch (Danaus plexippus), the zebra longwing (Heliconius charitonius), the gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) and the giant sulfurs.

"There are some butterflies that are only found in Florida," Dr. Gould said. "These species include the Florida atala (Eumaeus atala florida), Schaus' swallowtail (Papilio aristodemus ponceanus), Florida Leafwing (Anaea floridalis) and Bartram's scrub hairstreak (Strymon acis). The habitat and food for these butterflies are found only in a few subtropical areas."

For the Love of Insects

Dr. Gould's insect collection numbers in the thousands and centers on butterflies and moths. In 1985, he took up insect and butterfly photography and has been collecting slides since then.

"I met Jeffrey Glassberg around 1991," Dr. Gould said, "and was turned on to using binoculars and participating in 4th of July butterfly counts sponsored by the North American Butterfly Association (NABA)."

Glassberg is author of the Butterflies Through Binoculars series of field guides. The Florida field guide includes photographs of live butterflies with maps and identification information. It also includes reports on areas in which to find butterflies and tips for attracting these species to your garden.

Fluttering Toward a Less Diverse Ecosystem

Dr. Gould added, "Butterflies are part of the food web. Their larvae (and those of moths) provide an important source of food to birds, lizards and small mammals. If they disappeared, the ecosystem would still function, but it would not be as diverse. Butterflies are also pollinators, although not as important to the process as some other insects."

Only the Schaus' Swallowtail butterfly - found commonly on Elliot Key and North Key Largo -- is federally protected as an endangered species, Gould said, although a few other species may deserve listing, like the Florida leafwing, Bartram's scrub hairstreak and Miami blue (Hemiargus thomasi).

"Small butterfly populations are fragile," Dr. Gould said. "Schaus' swallowtail was hit hard by Hurricane Andrew, which directly affected their primary locations. Recovery efforts (captive breeding) by Dr. Tom Emmel of the University of Florida helped the Schaus' swallowtail butterfly population recover after the hurricane."

How Do You Grow a Butterfly?

Butterflies begin life's journey as eggs laid on the food they will eat when they emerge as caterpillars a few days later. Voracious eaters, the caterpillars quickly outgrow their skin and, after a few molts, the skin is replaced with a stiff chrysalis. Within this "shell," the pudgy caterpillar is transformed into a delicate and beautiful butterfly.

"Butterflies respond well if there is habitat available," Dr. Gould said. "A small butterfly garden can support a good population of many butterfly species." Dr. Gould noted that many schools have established butterfly gardens, giving children the chance to experience the value of butterfly gardening firsthand. "I really like butterfly gardens. I have planted plants both at work and at home to attract butterflies, and have had some success."

The success of a butterfly garden depends on the correct selection of plants because the plants must satisfy the different tastes and needs of the caterpillar and the adult butterfly. While butterflies may drink nectar from a number of plants, caterpillars can be very selective about the plants they eat.

Plants for the caterpillars must be specific to the individual species of butterfly. There is another consideration - the caterpillars will eat these plants! The damage is mitigated by the fact that many of the caterpillars will be food for birds and other predators, so few will make it to adulthood. Only a few butterfly species count vegetables as their food of choice. If you are interested in attracting black swallowtails (Papilio polyxenes) and want a vegetable garden too, just plant some extra for them.

Butterfly Collecting

Several companies in Florida offer live butterflies that can be purchased for release at special occasions, such as weddings. The company ships the butterflies by overnight courier to arrive the day before the event. Officially, NABA doesn't approve of the program because of concern about the spread of insect disease, disturbing natural gene flow and the introduction of species in areas where they wouldn't naturally be found.

"Personally, I am relatively neutral on these practices," Dr. Gould said. "I don't think the marketplace would support enough sales (they are pretty expensive) to really do a lot of harm. On the other hand," he continued, "I think commercial sales of butterflies may encourage trade in rare and endangered species, and this is not good."

Dr. Gould mentioned that some parts of the world are involved in butterfly ranching, in which butterfly host plants are planted as a crop, and some of the larvae from butterflies attracted are harvested and sold. "These ranches may actually increase populations," he said; however, "It is a complicated question with a lot of gray area."

"I really enjoyed collecting when I was a kid, but ethically I think that most people would be troubled by killing something for no other reason than to put something in a box and admire it," Dr. Gould said. "I don't encourage collecting. I think that it is in the category of big-game trophy hunting of being not considered ethical by a majority of the population."

Tips for Planting a Butterfly Garden

• Determine which butterfly species visit your area. Plant the host plants for these butterflies in your garden.
  
  
• Use nectar-rich flowering plants, such as asters, pentas and salvias to provide food for adult butterflies.
  
  
• Group plants together to create a mass of color. This will help butterflies find your garden.
  
  
• Always have some nectar plants in bloom to provide food for the year-round butterflies, such as the zebra longwing.
  
  
• Place your garden in plenty of sunshine. Plant shrubs and trees nearby to offer a hiding place for butterflies.
  
  
• Don't use pesticides. They kill butterflies and their caterpillars. Allow nature to take its course. Remove pests by hand, or use a strong stream of water to eliminate.

Written by

Edith E. Stull is a writer and editor who relocated from Philadelphia to Florida more than 25 years ago to escape the cold and the crowds. She lives close to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and enjoys watching the abundance of wildlife that calls this area of Florida home.