How to Make a Butterfly Lay Eggs

A painted lady butterfly visits a butterfly bush.

A butterfly has a short life cycle in which to feed, mate and lay eggs. To encourage a female butterfly to lay eggs, provide her with certain amenities in the garden, most importantly nectar plants and host plants.

Things You'll Need

• Butterfly identification guide Nectar plants Host plants Puddling area

Instructions

1. 

   Observe and identify the butterflies that visit your yard. Check with your local gardening and wildlife centers for a listing of common butterflies found in your area or consult with a butterfly identification guide book.

2. 

   Plant plenty of nectar plants such as zinnias, coneflowers, yarrow, milkweeds, daylillies and daisies. Butterflies will go where the food is. Provide a variety of nectar plants (both perennials and annuals) suited to the butterflies that visit your yard.

3. 

   Provide host plants for butterflies. Most species of butterflies lay eggs on specific plants that will serve as host plants to the newly-hatched caterpillars. Determine what host plants should be provided for the species of butterflies you wish to attract. The caterpillars will feed on the host plants as they grow in preparation for the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly. For example, plant milkweeds for Monarch butterflies or parsley or dill for Black Swallowtails.

4. Provide a puddling area. A puddling area is a mud puddle or wet, sandy area where the adult butterflies can gather to imbibe nutrient-rich fluids. The nutrients assist the butterflies with reproduction by helping the males produce the chemical pheromone, which is a sexual attractant used to attract females.

Tips & Warnings

• Gently check host plants for eggs (they will look like tiny white spots on the underside of leaves) and newly-hatched caterpillars.

• Don't use herbicides or pesticides anywhere near your butterfly garden.

References

• Creating a Butterfly Garden