Attracting butterflies to your back yard
Listed here are the five most common local butterflies found in the Blue Mountains area:
• Red Admiral
• Black Swallowtail
• Silvery Checkerspot
• Monarch
• Painted Lady
For each there are suggested local native perennials that you can plant to provide habitat and food for them. Visit demonstration plantings in flower beds at the back of Beaver Valley Community School: 189 Bruce St. South, Thornbury.
Scroll through this list and pick some new helpful plants for your gardens!
RED ADMIRAL
The Native plants that provide food and nectar for the Red Admiral butterfly:
Joe-pye Weed
Butterfly Milkweed
Common Milkweed
ASTERS - Frost, Flat Topped, White Wood, New England
MONARCH
The Native plants that provide food and nectar for the Monarch butterfly:
Common Milkweed
Swamp Milkweed
Pearly Everlasting
Dense Blazing Star
ASTERS - Sky Blue, White Wood, Smooth Blue, New England
BLACK
SWALLOWTAIL
The Native plants that provide food and nectar for the Black Swallowtail butterfly:
Butterfly Milkweed
Golden Alexander
Wild Columbine
Meadow Rue
CONEFLOWERS - Purple, Grey
PAINTED LADY
The Native plants that provide food and nectar for the Painted lady butterfly:
Butterfly Milkweed
Swamp Milkweed
Ironweed
Anise Hyssop
Hoary Vervain
White Yarrow
ASTERS - Smooth Blue, New England
SILVERY CHECKERSPOT
The Native plants that provide food and nectar for the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly:
Swamp Milkweed
Common Milkweed
Black Eyed Susan
Joe-pye Weed
CONEFLOWERS - Purple, Grey Headed
ASTERS - Large Leaf, New England
Pollinator Presentations, Advice and Gardens
Members of Pollinate TBM are available for pollinator-friendly presentations by request. Pollinate TBM will support residents seeking to create their pollinator gardens by providing advice, info and sharing resources. The design and installation of pollinator gardens is limited to public spaces.
Thanks to our project partners for their support - Town of the Blue Mountains & David Suzuki Foundation
