Hi Sharon!

I grow parsley at home, and the Black Swallowtails lay eggs on it.  One year I brought in a caterpillar and demo'd making a hatchery out of a 2-liter soda bottle for the teens/preteens (cut off top third before it gets narrow, put in a forked stick for the chrysalis to attach to, add food, tape bottle top back on, cover pouring top with netting or nylon screening and a rubber band).  I'd grow the baby in the bottle, untaping the wide part to shake out the droppings and add more parsley or Queen Ann's Lace every other day or so (daily as he got bigger).  Had to keep it off the windowsill, gets hot.  When the chrysalis hatched, I'd take of the top completely outside, and release the butterfly. 

The timing is tricky because I never know when I'll find eggs or caterpillars - usually early June, but I stopped doing it because I couldn't guarantee getting a critter.  But the parsley is definitely a draw, and the adult butterflies love my Bee Balm, which has very pretty flowers and is a perennial.  Milkweed is a great draw, but the plant is really kind of ugly for a garden.  It would be great on the edge of a woods or stream, though, and you can do a cool Victorian craft with the fluff if you gather it in September.  Joe-Pye Weed is less ugly and they love it, but it's still not what I picture as a garden plant.  Guess it could be trimmed back enough not to become rampant.  Butterfly Bush is wonderful.  Lavender attracts some species.

This would be an excellent project for libraries, as butterflies are becoming increasingly scarce.  Development and pesticides are a major issue, but the terrible destruction of the understory of native plants by the deer is also playing a serious part. 

Can you tell I was a geeky kid with a butterfly net and field guide?   

Sue Grotyohann

Monroe Township Library

4 Municipal Plaza

Monroe Township, NJ 08831

Hi Sharon,

Morris County Library planted a butterfly bush next to our big picture window several years ago

for Summer Reading program. We are about to create a garden next to it. Presently all we have is

a tree that attracts butterflies.

Princess Thomas

Morris County Library

30 East Hanover Ave.

Whippany, NJ 07981

Ph: 973-285-6981

Sorry for any cross postings

Hi Everyone,

Do any of you who work with children utilize nature in your children's programming by keeping a butterfly garden at your public  library?

I'd love to hear from you if you do.

Thanks.

Best,

Sharon Rawlins, MLS

Youth Services Consultant

NJ State Library

185 West State St.

P.O. Box 520

Trenton, NJ 08625-0520

sraw...@njstatelib.org

609-278-2640 ext. 116 - phone

609-278-2650 - fax

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