Home Sweet Home:

While preparing my garden for Atala butterflies, the garden’s ecosystem improved, benefiting other wildlife. The garden has more native nectar plant varieties and shade areas. I did not realize butterflies also seek shelter in the middle of a scorching hot day. A canopy area is valuable for more than getting out of the rain.

When I enter the canopy area of the garden on a sunny afternoon, I find the Atalas hanging out like airplanes waiting at a runway. This is also where the Zebra butterflies roost together at the end of the day.

The canopy came together with wild lime, firebush, black bead, locust berry and lots of wild coffee plants. The Atalas also spend a lot of time fluttering up and down the live oak trees. I am more conscious of vertical landscaping because of them. They love the oak trees with wild coffee and a lantana understory.

Mulch and More Mulch:

Mulch minimizes weeds growing around the base of the coonties. I utilize the live oak tree leaves and purchase small pine bark to maintain the area. As coontie plants grow they may crowd each other, and it helps to keep their base clear of debris that traps moisture. Warm humid spots can lead to mealy bugs and other plant diseases. The UF fact sheet by Daniel Culbert addresses this issue. (UF/Fact Sheet ENH117, Florida Coonties and Atala Butterflies, Daniel F. Culbert)

Protecting Home Sweet Home:

Butterfly gardeners who employ lawn maintenance service should be aware that the lawn mower, weed whacker and the leaf blower are powerful tools that can knock the caterpillars or chrysalis off the leaves, and kill them! Place markers, plant borders, or stones to keep these tools from getting too close to them. Lawn flag markers can alert the maintenance crew where not to use the weed whacker or blower. Better yet, do not use the leaf blower in your yard.

Protecting the coonties protects the caterpillars and pupa. I witnessed a neighbor’s coontie repeatedly weed whacked, until it did not make a comeback. Also, do not place your coonties near or in the vicinity of a water sprinkler system, the caterpillars will not tolerate ongoing water spraying, and the coonties may also get diseases from getting wet too frequently. A highly manicured yard is not wildlife friendly.

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