Butterfly Garden
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© 2016 Friends of Green Cay
Friends of Green Cay
Enjoy Our Butterfly Garden!
Friends of Green Cay membership fund and sponsor our beautiful butterfly garden.
A Certified Wildlife Habitat by National Wildlife Federation.
Now also a Certified Monarch Waystation.
Our Butterfly Garden provides the four basic habitat elements needed for wildlife to thrive: food, water, cover and places to raise young. As you walk along our garden, enjoy learning about the native plants and their importance to sustaining the life cycle of butterflies.
Friends of Green Cay membership fund and sponsor our beautiful butterfly garden.
A Certified Wildlife Habitat by National Wildlife Federation.
Now also a Certified Monarch Waystation.
Our Butterfly Garden provides the four basic habitat elements needed for wildlife to thrive: food, water, cover and places to raise young. As you walk along our garden, enjoy learning about the native plants and their importance to sustaining the life cycle of butterflies.
Butterfly Facts
Many butterflies in Florida are found nowhere else in North America.
Over 160 butterfly species breed here and about 200 species migrate through the state. Florida's state butterfly is the Zebra Longwing, which can be found throughout the state and in Green Cay.
A butterfly is mainly a daytime flying insect that needs temperatures of at least 70 degrees to fly. They are cold blooded and increase their temperature by basking in the sun. The earliest known butterfly fossils date back 40-50 million years.
Many butterflies in Florida are found nowhere else in North America.
Over 160 butterfly species breed here and about 200 species migrate through the state. Florida's state butterfly is the Zebra Longwing, which can be found throughout the state and in Green Cay.
A butterfly is mainly a daytime flying insect that needs temperatures of at least 70 degrees to fly. They are cold blooded and increase their temperature by basking in the sun. The earliest known butterfly fossils date back 40-50 million years.
Great Southern White Butterfly on Tropical Sage.
Cloudless Sulfur Butterfly on Firebush.
Ruddy Daggerwing on
American Beautyberry.
American Beautyberry.
Long-tailed Skipper Butterfly.
White Peacock Butterfly on Cassia Plant.
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly.
Marc drying and testing his wings.
Enjoy our presentation on Marc the Monarch. From December 29 through January 19 we watched and documented as a Monarch butterfly caterpillar transformed into a beautiful butterfly. The caterpillar was enjoying eating the leaves on the Tropical milkweed host plants near the birdfeeders. We were able to enjoy watching the entire process as the caterpillar transitioned to a Tropical sage plant and created a chrysalis in full view of the volunteer gardeners. Many pictures were taken and shared with people passing by on the boardwalk that captured the beautiful transformation into a butterfly. Wow was the most common reaction to seeing this beartiful lesson in the life cycle of butterflies. Butterflies lay eggs that lead to the birth of caterpillers. Caterpillars go through 5 stages of growth getting larger each time. Mature caterpillars then form a chrysalis structure that protects them as they transform into butterflies. It was a real thrill to be able to watch this process unfold. Once the Monarch butterfly emerged and let the wings dry, we were able to see it was a male. Males have 2 black spots on their back wings. Marc the Monarch was born to the delight of many. Stop by our garden and learn about native plants and butterflies. Volunteers are usually available Friday mornings to answer questions.
Marc the Monarch December 29, 2023 to January 19, 2024
Be sure to stop by the Butterfly Garden located at the entrance to our Visitor Center, where you may see these butterflies commonly found in South Florida.
Click to view more Butterflies and Plants
December 29, 2023
January 4, 2024
January 18, 2024
January 19, 2024
January 19, 2024
January 19, 2024
Atala on Coontie.
Zebra Longwing on Maypop Passionflower.
Zebra Longwing
Florida State Butterfly
Florida State Butterfly
Ladybug on Tropical Sage.
Bee on Wild Coffee.
