Garden Lesson: 
Butterflies

Below are example questions that can help guide your conversation. These questions can be tailored to the age of your children. More details for grade-specific vocabulary words and topics can be found in the education standards links at the bottom of this page. A printer friendly copy of the lesson with more content and activity sheets is linked below, too.

• What is pollination and why is it important? Pollination is the process of transferring pollen from the male part of a plant (anther) to the female part of a plant (stigma) to fertilize the plant, make seedlings and produce more flowers, fruits and vegetables.
• What is an ecosystem? Multiple species are each able to meet their needs in a stable web of life and different plants and animals all depend on each other to survive.
• How do butterflies fit in the ecosystem? Some species of butterflies eat bad bugs like aphids. Caterpillars and adult butterflies are a food source for bats and birds.
• What is a beneficial bug and how can they help the garden? Beneficial means helpful. Butterflies are beneficial because they help pollinate plants.

• Plant 'host plants' that the caterpillars like to eat. This will encourage adult butterflies to come lay their eggs on these plants. Great host plants include milkweed, dill, parsley, and fennel.
• Plant flowers that have nectar to feed butterflies. They especially like: lantana, echinacea, coreopsis, salvia, day lilies, lavender, yarrow, verbena, and butterfly bush.