Bonnie Nowicki
What a treat to observe butterflies gracefully fluttering from flower to flower in our gardens. An estimated 19,500 species of butterflies are found all over the world, except Antarctica. A recent Smithsonian magazine butterfly article featuring Akito Kawahara was very intriguing. As a renowned entomologist, he and his team, using generous grants from the National Science Foundation, study butterfly evolution.
The new origin study states that, most likely, the first butterflies appeared in North and Central America, not Australasia. The ancestor of butterflies was a nocturnal moth that became day-flying here 101.4 million years ago. So, basically, butterflies are moths that fly during the day. Mr. Kawahara thinks it was bees, not bats, that caused this day-flying. Butterflies originated 100 million years ago, well before bats appeared, so butterflies didn’t evolve flying by day to avoid bats as predators. Bees emerged millions of years before butterflies and most likely triggered plants to evolve nectar and colorful flowers for food. It’s the team’s consensus that beautifully colored butterflies are using brightness as a chemical defense against predators or display for mating or mimicking the toxic ones.
Perhaps knowing a little about butterfly evolution piques your interest in providing just the perfect habitat in your landscape. Planting several plants now will bring butterflies to your yard in late summer and autumn. My suggestions are any plants in the milkweed family, verbena, and lantana. Butterflies need a place to lay eggs, food plants for the larvae and a place to form a chrysalis, and a nectar source for the adult. Flat-topped, bright blossoms are favorites. A good water source is a must.
Remember, millions of years have elapsed for these tiny, magnificent creatures to evolve to entertain us in our yards. Enjoy nature’s gift!