Naturalist Corner - Wings of Glory

Have you ever witnessed a toddler’s first encounter with a butterfly? Children naturally delight in watching them flutter on colorful wings, deftly defying gravity but always at the mercy of the wind.

Through the ages, people have been fascinated by these interesting insects. Butterflies were featured prominently in ancient Mayan and Egyptian art, and they remain a popular subject for modern artists. Artistic interpretation of butterflies can be stunning, but probably the best way to enjoy them is to sit in a field of flowers on a sunny summer day, and watch them bounce on the breeze from blossom to blossom. Butterflies can be enjoyed by everyone with an interest in our natural resources and an eye for beauty, from nature photographers and artists, to hikers, gardeners and casual observers.

Butterfly watching is growing in popularity, and you don’t need to travel to exotic places or purchase expensive equipment to get started. Ohio, with more than 135 species recorded so far, is a great place to take up this rewarding activity. A good way to begin is to look at photos of common butterflies in the library or on the Internet, then take a stroll around your neighborhood. You will quickly learn to identify several of the more common and colorful species. As your knowledge and curiosity grow, you may want to acquire a few tools and take an expedition out of the neighborhood. A good investment would be some close focus binoculars and a more detailed guide book.

To expand your species count, gather your new equipment and head to a state park, forest, or nature preserve. There you should explore a variety of habitats such as open fields, woodlands, prairies, hilltops and edges of ponds and creeks. Look for a behavior known as “puddling” where large numbers of butterflies gather to collect minerals, often snacking on a piece of scat, or probing wet sand and rocks on the edge of a lake, stream or road. You will also find them basking and feeding in warm open fields with a wide variety of native plants. There they feed on nectar and search for suitable host plants to deposit their eggs, which will develop into colorful caterpillars. Some species, such as monarchs, are able to take up toxins from plants that make both the caterpillars and adult butterflies unpalatable to predators.

Although many of the common species have a wide flight window during the warm months, you may want to visit your favorite butterfly haunts in spring, summer, and fall, as some rare species are only around a few weeks. It may also help to head for the far corners of the state to look for butterflies whose range barely enters Ohio. For example, Silvery Blues and Falcate Orangetips appear in our southernmost forests in early spring. Appalachian Browns may be seen flitting around northern Ohio wetlands during their summertime visits. Our largest butterfly, the spectacular Giant Swallowtail, is found mostly in the western portion of the state.

Many species of butterflies are becoming less abundant due to loss of habitat. Butterflies need host plants for their caterpillars to munch, as well as flowers for nectar. You can help by providing a beautiful garden for butterflies to enjoy in your yard. Simply leave a portion of your lawn unmowed, and add some native grasses and tall flowering plants that add a colorful accent to your landscape.

With luck, you will see swarms of beautiful butterflies in the coming months. Whether you are an experienced lepidopterist or a new butterfly watcher, you can enjoy these fascinating facets of our ecosystem and help insure their survival for the enjoyment of future generations.

- Kevin Bradbury, Manager, and
Jenny Richards, Naturalist, Shawnee State Park