Habitat & Diet

Texas is excellent butterfly country, but the species you see can change dramatically between the Piney Woods, Hill Country, High Plains, Gulf Coast, South Texas brush country, and Lower Rio Grande Valley. Among the butterflies most commonly reported in the state are Monarchs, Gulf Fritillaries, Gray Hairstreaks, Pipevine Swallowtails, Queens, Fiery Skippers, Common Buckeyes, Black Swallowtails, Red Admirals, Giant Swallowtails, Orange Sulphurs, Painted Ladies, and American Snouts. That does not mean all 13 are equally common everywhere in Texas. Texas sits where eastern, western, temperate, and subtropical habitats meet, so location and season are often almost as useful for identification … Read more

Introduction Butterflies in Southern California can appear almost anywhere there is warmth, sunlight, shelter, and the right plants. You may see a monarch drifting over milkweed, a gulf fritillary flashing orange around passionflower vine, a painted lady moving quickly through spring wildflowers, or a small skipper darting low over a lawn. The region’s butterfly life is especially rich because Southern California includes many overlapping habitats: coastal sage scrub, chaparral, urban gardens, foothill canyons, desert washes, mountain meadows, and tree-lined neighborhoods. For beginners, the best way to start is not by memorizing every species. It is to learn a few common … Read more

When most people picture a butterfly feeding, they imagine it floating from flower to flower, gently sipping nectar. That picture is accurate — but it is not the whole story. So, what do butterflies drink besides nectar? Adult butterflies mainly drink nectar because it gives them the sugary energy they need for flying, mating, and migration. But many butterflies also visit tree sap, rotting fruit, damp soil, mud puddles, sweat, and even animal droppings to get minerals, salts, and extra nutrients they cannot always find in flowers. It may sound strange at first, but once you understand how butterflies feed, … Read more

There is something unmistakably summery about seeing butterflies drift across a garden border or settle on a patch of wildflowers. If you have ever paused beside a hedge, a meadow, or even a small urban garden and wondered what you were looking at, this guide to common butterflies in the UK is a good place to start. The UK has a surprisingly rich butterfly population, and some species are regular visitors to gardens, parks, hedgerows, and woodland edges. The nice thing is that you do not need to be an expert to begin identifying them. In fact, a slightly overcast … Read more