How to spot, attract, and celebrate our favorite Philly flutterbugs.
☀️🦋🦋🦋 CRITTER CHRONICLES: July is a butterfly bonanza in Philly! These famously resplendent insects are most active in temperatures from 85°F – 100°F, making summer the perfect time to spot them flitting about gardens, yards, and parks (👇scroll down for a handy guide).
But butterflies aren’t just pretty to look at — they play a crucial role in our ecosystem.
Most importantly for our food supply, butterflies are excellent pollinators. As they flutter from flower to flower, sipping on nectar, they help plants reproduce by spreading pollen. This vital job supports the growth of fruits, vegetables, and flowers, keeping our farms, orchards, and landscapes thriving.
In addition, butterflies, themselves are food. A large number of birds, bats, frogs, snakes, wasps, spiders, mantises, dragonflies and many other opportunist feeders eat adults as well as their caterpillars. Native butterflies support the biodiversity and resilience of local food webs. They’re also clear indicators of environmental health.
Butterflies are quite sensitive to changes in their surroundings, acting as an early-warning system for environmental issues like pollution or habitat loss. Sadly, many species are in decline, including the magnificent Monarch that has declined more than 95% since the 1980’s. The good news is that global conservation efforts are underway, including, butterfly farming and even butterfly tourism. People of all ages and backgrounds are stepping up to help save native populations, and restore the delicate balance all living things depend on.
One of the best ways we can all help – besides advocating for conservation – is to nurture healthy yards and gardens where butterflies can safely feed and reproduce. Avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides, obviously. Consider planting a pollinator garden, with a variety of native, nectar-producing flowers like asters, coneflower, black-eyed Susans, and especially milkweed which blooms in pink or orange and is also a “host” plant for caterpillars.
Choose shades of pink, red, orange, white, yellow, and purple and plant in clusters for high visibility. Some trees and shrubs offer shelter and protection. A water source is helpful too – fill a shallow dish, and put a few stones in it where a butterfly can perch while having a drink. Your good deed brings an immediate reward: a wonderland of painted wings dancing outside your window.
No yard? No problem! Try these local butterfly hot spots to peep your favorite pollinators:
Morris Arboretum, U Penn: a public garden with many natural areas featuring 35 acres of wetlands and floodplain.
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum: 10 miles of trails throughout 1000+ acres of forest and freshwater marshland teaming with wildlife (including many species of butterflies).
Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust: 850+ acres of meadows, woodlands, and floodplain forest with old-growth trees that support an uniquely diverse ecosystem. Privately owned and open to the public (no pets allowed).
Andorra Meadow Trail, Wissahickon Vally Park: A wealth of birds and wildlife in this flat, compact 2 mile loop through some of the best birding sites in NW Philly.
FARTHER AFIELD
Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square): Their Meadow Garden is 86 open acres of designed natural landscapes of native flowers and grasses that supports a large variety of pollinators including many species of butterflies.
The Butterfly Atrium (Hershey, PA): An indoor tropical environment, lushly planted and alive with dozens of rare butterflies from all over the world. An immersive and educational experience (with limitless photo ops).
Butterfly House at The Watershed Institute (Pennington, NJ): Outdoor structure showcasing native butterflies and the plants that support them. Gardens simulate typical mid-Atlantic habitats: field, wetland, meadow, forest. Free & open to the public mid-June thru Oct.
🦋 SAT AUG 3: 24th Annual Watershed Butterfly Festival features family-friendly fun including a parade, live music, activities, hands-on exhibits, and tours of the Butterfly House and Insect Zoo. Tix start at $10 with discounts for multiple family members.
Butterfly Spotlight: The six most interesting species you’ll see this summer 🦋👀
Black Swallowtail
A large, showy species, and a frequent flyer in local gardens. Both sexes are black with yellow spots, which in males are brighter and more abundant. They both also have some blue on their tails, but in females it is much more dramatic. Swallowtails lay eggs on dill, parsley, and fennel but they’re not considered pests because they rarely will overwhelm a host plant. Trivia: the caterpillars are naturally disguised to resemble bird poop, to fake out predators. If that doesn’t work, bright orange “horns” spring from the head to release a foul odor.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
With an average wingspan of 3 to 5 ½ inches in size, tiger swallowtails are one of the largest local butterflies you’ll see. Male Tigers are a vivid yellow, and while females are less vibrant overall, their beautiful blue tail markings are an extra splash of color. Females can also be dark gray or brownish. Fun Fact: these butterflies engage in “puddling,” where males gather in large numbers on wet soil, drinking salts and minerals needed for reproduction.
Great Spangled Fritillary
It’s hard to miss this sunny showstopper, in radiant tawny shades dappled with black markings and silvery spots that sparkle in the sunlight. Look for their fluttering flights and bright colors in open fields and sunny gardens. Fun Fact: their caterpillars feed exclusively on violet leaves. In fact, planting violets is a great way to attract these native stunners.
Monarch
July is prime time for to see this iconic species in Philly, as they feed and ultimately breed this year’s “super generation” that will migrate south to Mexico. Monarchs love milkweed, both for nectar and as a place to lay their eggs (the caterpillars only eat milkweed leaves). South Jersey has been leading the charge in creating “milkweed waystations” around the state to help support these vital eco-indicators. Did You Know? Milkweed has toxins that the Monarchs absorb, making them unappetizing to predators.
Painted Lady
Move over Monarchs, here’s another migratory butterfly that’s the most widespread of all species, found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Orange and black, with white spots on the upper tips of its elongated wings, and anchored by a stocky brown body built for long-distance travel. Look for their zigzag flight patterns in gardens and parks. Fun fact: Painted Lady caterpillars are nocturnal, and eat a lot of invasive weeds.
Red-spotted Purple
Despite its name, this shimmering beauty is a stunning deep blue or iridescent black (the red spots are more apparent on the underside of its wings). Don’t look for them around flowers, instead you’ll find them feasting on rotting fruit, sap, dung and roadkill —nature’s recyclers! They’re also big sunbathers, often seen basking with their wings wide open on leaves, branches or even the ground. True Story: their coloration mimics the poisonous Pipevine Swallowtail, deterring predators.
🦋😱 FEAR THE FLUTTER 😱🦋
“Lepidopterophobia” is the term for an irrational and excessive fear of butterflies, causing immediate anxiety or panic when exposed to butterflies or even just photos or videos of them. Most sufferers are reacting to the insects’ fluttery, unpredictable movements and spider-like legs.
Unsurprisingly, people who are afraid of butterflies are usually also freaked out by moths. Nicole Kidman told a reporter in 2005 that she’s been terrified of both since she was a child, and has never been able to overcome the problem. Kylie Jenner has confessed to reality TV fans that she’s “terrified” of butterflies, which are “literally just bugs” if you discount their exquisite wings.
Other interesting facts about this phobia:
Name Origins: The term “lepidopterophobia” comes from the Greek root “Lepidoptera,” which is name of the order of insects that includes butterflies and moths (“lepido” means scale and “ptera” means wings). The word “phobia,” is also Greek — the word means “aversion” or “morbid fear.”
Moths vs Butterflies: While butterflies strike fear with their stealth, unpredictability and close proximity to people, moths are often even more terrifying due to their nocturnal nature and tendency to dive-bomb light sources like phones, cameras, candles, etc. suddenly from the darkness.
Psychological Impact: Lepidopterophobia can significantly impact a person’s quality of life. Those affected may avoid outdoor activities like picnics, hikes, and even gardening and outdoor events, especially during seasons when butterflies and moths are most active. This avoidance behavior can lead to social isolation and a decreased enjoyment of nature.
Treatment and Coping Strategies: As with many specific phobias, treatment for lepidopterophobia often involves cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Exposure therapy, a common CBT technique, gradually and repeatedly exposes the individual to the feared object — in this case, butterflies and moths — in a controlled environment. This helps desensitize the person to the fear. Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and mindfulness, can also be effective in managing anxiety symptoms.
Cultural Perspectives: In some cultures, butterflies and moths hold significant symbolic meanings. For instance, butterflies are often seen as symbols of hope, transformation and rebirth, while moths can symbolize intuition and the attraction to light. These symbolic associations can influence how individuals perceive these insects and may play a role in either alleviating or exacerbating their fear.
Scientific Theories: Some scientists theorize that the fear of butterflies and moths may stem from an evolutionary perspective. The sudden and erratic movements of these insects could trigger a primal fear response intended to protect humans from potentially harmful creatures. Additionally, the close resemblance of some butterflies and moths to more dangerous insects, like spiders, might contribute to this irrational fear.
By understanding the origins, psychological impact, and treatment options for lepidopterophobia, we can better empathize with those who suffer from this very real and quite common phobia affecting about 10% of the population.
We hope you have enjoyed this month’s Local Wildlife Feature. Thoughts? Questions? Please leave in the Comments below. Check out last month’s spotlighted species, the opossum.
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