Weeds, Weeds, Weeds!

If it weren’t for some weeds, we wouldn’t have butterflies.  Mamma butterflies will only lay their eggs on plants that their caterpillar babes will eat.  So, no milkweed - no Monarchs.

That’s true for other species, too. Some butterflies require one and only one host plant.  Others are less picky eaters and will accept a range of plants/weeds.  See the charts of butterflies I put together showing the adult butterfly, what each look like as an egg, caterpillar and a chrysalis.  Each chart shows which plant the butterfly will lay eggs on.

That’s how I find my eggs and caterpillars, first find the weed.  Then look closely!

Food for thought- weed killer destroys the food source of caterpillars, so that’s a huge reason we have fewer and fewer butterflies.