Create a Butterfly Garden in Las Vegas

There are about 222 species of butterflies that are seen in Southern Nevada. Whether you want monarch, painted lady or blue butterflies to come live in your butterfly garden, there are several things that you can do to encourage them.

Choose Larvae Plants

Female butterflies lay their eggs on plants that young caterpillars can munch on when they are first born. If you are a gardener, then realize that these plants may not end up looking very pretty, so hide them where they will not be a distraction. There are many different types of plants that can serve as host plants including milkweed, thistle and hollyhock.

Pick Nectar Plants

As the butterflies mature, they will need nectar plants. Butterflies generally love flowers with large blooms. The great news is that they act as a pollinator, so your garden may look more beautiful than normal when you incorporate nectar plants in it. Tall zinnias make a great choice as they stand up well to the desert heat. A variety of salvias do well in Las Vegas, and they will attract butterflies. Think about choosing plants that grow to different heights as butterflies love choices. Additionally, place your plants as close together as possible because butterflies love to hide.

Meet Other Butterfly Requirements

While you will want to choose a variety of larvae and nectar plants, butterflies have other requirements that you will want to consider. Properly placed trees and shrubs provide shelter from the wind and give butterflies a place to hide from predators. Create puddling stations by placing wet sand around your nectar plants as they give the butterflies water while providing dissolved salts that butterflies need to thrive. Butterflies need a place where they can warm their bodies in the morning sun, so incorporate rocks, exposed soil and other sunny resting spots into your garden.

You can attract many butterflies to your garden by incorporating these three butterfly tips into your landscape design in Las Vegas. By some estimates, the population of butterflies has dropped by more than 50 percent in the Las Vegas area, so this is a beautiful step that you can take to help them out.