As a leader in conservation efforts including conservation of butterflies Woodland Park Zoo is conducting an Oregon silverspot butterfly conservation project.

School kids are helping by raising food plants and participating in the Early Blue Violet Math Project.

You can create a welcoming environment for butterflies in your own neighborhood. All it takes is water, a sunny location, and some good soil and space for plants. Learn which butterflies live in your region. Use this guide and books from the library to discover how to attract native butterflies. Learn which plants are native to your region. Butterflies depend on plants for their survival. Provide plants that help butterflies survive. Different plants are needed during different stages of a butterfly’s life. Make sure you have food plants for caterpillars as well as flowering plants that provide nectar for adult butterflies. Avoid using pesticides in your garden. If a garden is good for butterflies, it is also good for birds, other wildlife and you. See below for valuable plant selections to make your garden "butterfly friendly".

Find information about the various varieties of trees. shrubs and flowering plants that will help you to attract butterflies, and in so doing provide them with much needed sustenance!

It has become popular to release commercially bred butterflies at special occasions such as weddings, fairs and other events. Although a seemingly harmless practice, many scientists have stated that releasing butterflies into the wild has the potential of harming wild butterfly populations and ecosystems. Their concerns include the following:

• Some released, non-native butterflies could mate with wild butterflies, potentially polluting or reducing the genetic viability of wild populations
• Massive releases of commercially raised butterflies may also skew data related to butterfly counts that help monitor the status of wild butterfly populations
• Butterfly breeders who are not properly permitted by appropriate regulatory agencies or who do not follow industry standards could produce butterflies that could carry diseases and parasites that
  might spread to wild butterflies

Since butterflies are considered potential plant pests, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and corresponding state agencies have the responsibility of regulating the butterfly breeding industry. USDA regulates and issues permits for breeding a limited number of butterfly species approved for release. The approval of species for release are also regulated by state agencies.

If you are thinking about releasing butterflies for a special occasion, it is important to consider all of the above mentioned factors. Contact your state agency to determine which species/types of butterflies are allowed for release in your area. And make sure that the organization from which you are receiving the butterflies has all the proper governmental permits.

Thank you for making an informed decision about butterfly releases. For more information, check out the North American Butterfly Association's release about this subject .

Sources and Suggested Reading:

Mikula, Rick. 1997. Garden Butterflies of North America, A Gallery of Garden Butterflies & How to Attract Them. Willow Creek Press, Minocque, WI. 143 p.

Pyle, Robert Michael. 1992. Handbook for Butterfly Watchers.
Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA. 280 p.

Pyle, Robert Michael. 1981. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY. 924 p.

Pyle, Robert Michael. 2002. Butterflies of Cascadia

Scott, J. 1986. The Butterflies of North America, A Natural History and Field Guide. Stanford University Press,
Stanford, CA. 583 p.

Tekulsky, Mathew. 1985. The Butterfly Garden. Harvard Common Press, Boston, MA. 144 p.

For Kids!
Wexo, John. Butterflies. Zoobooks.Wildlife Education, Ltd., San Diego, CA. 20 p.

Wright, Amy Bartlett. 1993. Caterpillars: Peterson Field Guide. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA. 28 p.