During the spring, summer and fall months the cemetery’s natural dell offers a spot to relax and observe a great variety of butterflies. Zebra, Black and Tiger Swallowtail; Red Admiral; Monarch; Buckeye; Painted Lady; Red Spotted Purple; and members of the Fritillary, White, Sulphur and Blue families, among others, may be seen.
The presence of abundant butterflies, in season, is an indication that a site is environmentally safe, balanced and healthy. A number of conditions must exist, not all of which are aesthetically attractive (such as mud and weeds!)…
- Mud flats for puddling (drinking) the concentrated nutrients in the moist soil (Only males do this.)
- Rocks for perching and warming (Butterflies are cold-blooded.)
- Protection from strong winds
- Native plants, grasses, and “weeds”
- Larval plant foods nearby
- Full sun
- No chemicals or insecticides
Nectar sources have been introduced from flowering plants such as: Abelia, Aster, Bee Balm, Black-eyed Susan, Butterfly Bush, Butterfly Weed (Milkweed), Caryopteris, Clerodendron, Coneflower, Joe Pye Weed, Loosestrife, Mint, Phlox, Spicebush, Yarrow, and numerous wildflowers.
