Butterfly Watch

BCSA is using iNaturalist to collect Lepidoptera records made in our state by community members. Click here to visit the iNaturalist site

What plants do adult butterflies feed on? Which plants attract adult butterflies?

We know the life history of South Australian butterflies, and different food plants their caterpillars eat. We also know, from overseas records, which exotic and introduced flowers attract adult butterflies to gardens.

It has been observed that, given the option of an introduced plant versus a native South Australian plant, adult butterflies prefer the native plant (even if there are many exotic plants nearby).