Butterflies as pollinators
Also known as Butterflies, Lepidoptera (pollinators), Lime butterfly, Plain tiger
In short
Adult butterflies feed on nectar and carry pollen between flowers, often over longer distances than bees, though they carry less of it. Their caterpillars, however, eat leaves, and a few species are garden pests. Whether they are welcome depends on which plants their caterpillars feed on.
How it looks
Adults fly by day, have clubbed antennae, a coiled proboscis for sipping nectar, and wings covered in coloured scales, usually held upright over the back at rest. Eggs are laid singly or in groups on the caterpillar’s specific food plants. Caterpillars are soft, segmented larvae with a distinct head and true legs; young lime butterfly (Papilio demoleus) caterpillars on citrus look like bird droppings, later turning smooth and green.
Signs
Butterflies visiting flowers or sipping at damp soil; eggs or caterpillars on host plants; chewed leaves on citrus or brassicas.
Life cycle
Egg, caterpillar, pupa (chrysalis) and adult; adults live from about a week to nearly a year depending on species.
What favours it
Nectar-rich flowers in warm, sheltered spots and the right host plants for their caterpillars; insecticides kill both stages.
Prevention
- Grow nectar flowers in a warm, sheltered spot and, where you can, the caterpillars’ host plants.
- Check young citrus and brassicas for eggs and caterpillars if you want to protect them.
- Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides.
Treatment
Start with the first step and move down only if the problem persists.
- Tolerate caterpillars on plants grown for wildlife.
- On plants you want to protect, hand-pick caterpillars or move them to a spare host plant, or use fine netting.
- If a caterpillar pest must be treated, the bacterial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis targets caterpillars; it will also kill butterfly larvae, so apply it only to the affected plant and follow the product label.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Pollinate many flowers and can move pollen over long distances.
- Visible sign of a healthy garden; many people plant for them deliberately.
Cons
- Caterpillars of some species are pests: small and large whites on cabbage, other brassicas and nasturtium; the lime butterfly can strip young citrus plants and nurseries in Asia.
- Carry less pollen than bees.
Look-alikes
- Moths
- Most moths fly at night, have feathery or thread-like antennae and rest with wings flat or tent-like.
- Pest caterpillars
- Butterfly and moth caterpillars look alike; identify the species before deciding to remove it.
Where you find it
Flowering ornamentals (nectar); caterpillar hosts such as citrus, brassicas, nettles, grasses and many others depending on species.
Related
Sources
Written in our own words from these sources. Check a product label before using any treatment.