Birds are not the only winged animals that capture
our attention. Floridians are rapidly discovering the excitement of
butterfly watching. Like birding, butterfly watching is a fun and
simple way to explore wild Florida and a great outdoor activity for
the whole family. Few other forms of wildlife can be as easily
observed as butterflies. These colorful insects occur in almost any
location from back yards and city parks to roadsides and natural
areas. In fact, many species can be attracted easily to home or
schoolyard gardens, making daily observations a snap.
More than 765 species of butterflies occur in North
America, north of Mexico. Florida is home to a total of 187
butterfly species, the most of any state east of the Mississippi
River. Learning to identify even the most common of these
butterflies may seem challenging at first. Even experienced
naturalists may have difficulty separating a few of our very
similar-looking butterflies. However, with a little help, proper
identification does not have to be frustrating.
Don' t expect to find 100 different species on your
first day in the field. Take things slowly and, most importantly,
have fun. You will quickly realize Florida is indeed the ideal
environment for butterfly enthusiasts. In addition to year-round
sunshine and mild temperatures, the state offers a wonderful
combination of common butterflies, unique species found nowhere
else and the possibility of encountering a rare tropical stray.
Butterfly viewing is inexpensive and a great way to
spend time outside with family and friends.
More Information
For
further information about butterflies in Florida, please visit the
Florida Museum of Natural History' s McGuire
Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. The Center is
dedicated to understanding, preserving and interpreting the world's
Lepidoptera, biodiversity and the environment. Here you will find
research projects being conducted by the Center, activities for
teachers and students, lists of plants that attract butterflies and
a gallery of photos of butterflies, moths and caterpillars.
For even more on Florida's butterflies, please
visit FWC's Imperiled Butterflies of South Florida
Workgroup (IBWG). The IBWG was created in response to the heavy
decline in numbers of certain species of butterflies in South
Florida, due to threats such as habitat loss. Other butterfly sites
you may wish to visit include the Florida
Butterfly Monitoring Network and the Butterfly
Conservation Initiative.
How Can I Help?
You can help butterflies in your own back yard by
growing both host plants for larvae and nectar plants for adults.
Visit the University of Florida's web site for a list of
plants you can grow to benefit butterflies in your particular
region of the state.
Booklets Available
A set of four booklets on Florida' s butterflies,
Florida Butterfly Encounters, is available for $10 from
the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)
Extension Bookstore website.
These booklets were produced by Dr. Jaret C.
Daniels with funding from the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission, in cooperation with the Florida Museum of
Natural History, the McGuire
Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity and the Institute of Food
and Agricultural Sciences.
- Florida Butterfly Gardening
- 50 Common Butterflies of Florida
- Butterfly Watching Basics
- Checklist of Florida Butterflies
Excerpts from "Florida's Other Winged
Wonders" by Jaret Daniels and Anne Glick, Florida Wildlife
Magazine, July/August 2008 Issue.
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