From hungry caterpillars…
(eating their favorite food: Asclepias tuberosa)

Without the gold dots on the chrysalis,
monarchs are born without color.

…do beautiful monarchs grow!

If you wish to attract butterflies, first think of them as caterpillars! Offering food plants for caterpillars will bring as many butterflies to your garden as offering nectar plants to the adults. Each species has a different type of plant that it prefers to eat.

Some popular food plants for caterpillars include dill, rue, fennel and milkweed. Trees include oaks, willows, wild cherries and hackberries.

To provide nectar, try butterfly bush, zinnia, verbena, coneflower and ironweed.