Butterfly Gardening for Texas

6. A Special South Texas Garden

Gardeners in the semitropical area of the Rio Grande Valley have an excellent opportunity for attracting some of the rarest and most beautiful species of butterflies to be found in the state. Not only are there species that are permanent Texas residents only in the Valley area but there are some even less common species that come into South Texas from Mexico and Central and South America and will, under favorable conditions, remain and breed, often for several years in a row. This northward movement, added to the already abundant species consistently breeding here, gives this region the highest number of total species of any area in the state—almost three hundred. There are probably several environmental factors that determine the residence and breeding status of these uncommon butter- flies, but two of the most important are the occasional periods of freezing temperatures and the scarcity of larval food plants. A severe freeze may completely eliminate a population of these exotic species of butterflies, and other than providing protection through the planting of windbreaks, providing plenty of “hiding” places, and protecting both the larval and flowering plants, there is little that can be done to prevent the extermination of the butter flies during this time. Many of the larval food plants for these more uncommon species of butterflies are native and have been almost entirely eliminated from the Valley area through clearing practices for the raising of food crops. In a few instances , they may never have been abundant members of the Valley flora. This shortage of food plants limits the range, distribution patterns, and number of individuals coming into the area, and females may not be able to locate a plentiful supply of the appropriate food plants on which to lay their eggs. Only in 6 A Special South Texas Garden l 118 l chapter 6 areas where an adequate source of the larval food plants are available will there ever be a chance of a colony becoming well established. By incorporating the necessary food plants in home gardens, the chances of getting colonies of these “special” butterflies to remain and breed are greatly increased. Very few of the needed plants are going to be readily available at nurseries, so the best method of obtaining many of the plants listed here will be through gathering seeds, taking cuttings from native plants, or haunting native plant sales. Special orders for some of the nonnatives can be placed through local nurseries. Visit the local chambers of commerce, and get names and phone numbers of local nature, birding, and garden clubs to find sources and methods of obtaining needed plants. The information given here is in no way the “final word” on the butterflies to be found in the Rio Grande Valley. Each year as more naturalists and researchers become interested and involved in the butterflies in this region, new species are continually being added. And, as with all such work, the more that is learned about the distribution, habitats, and life cycles of a wildlife species, the status of their abundance is continually changed and updated. Take this then as a guideline—to be subtracted from and added to while more research is completed on these uncommon species. The following list has been compiled from current literature, communications, and personal observations in the field. The butter- flies listed are those that, at the present time, The nectar of the bright red flower clusters of Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeana) will attract butterflies to the garden. 119 l a special south texas garden are known to breed only in the southernmost portion of the state, and only if their food plant is known. Many other species of butter- flies stray or wander into the Valley area and perhaps breed there, but at present, their food plants are not known, so these species are not listed. Butterfly Food plant Aguna, Emerald (Aguna claxon) Mexican Orchid Tree (Bauhinia mexicana) Aguna, Gold-spotted (Aguna asunder) Mexican Orchid Tree (Bauhinia mexicana) Aguna, Tailed (Aguna metophis) Mexican Orchid Tree (Bauhinia mexicana) Angled-Sulphur, Yellow (Anteos maerula) Senna (Senna spp.) Astraptes, Flashing (Astraptes fulgerator) Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) Coyotillo (Karwinskia humboldtiana) Banner, Common (Epiphile adrasta) Common Balloon-vine (Cardiospermum halicacabum) Little-fruit Supplejack (Serjania brachycarpa) Urvillea (Urvillea ulmacea) Bluewing, Mexican (Myscelia ethusa) Vasey Adelia (Adelia vaseyi) Cracker, Guatemalan (Hamadryas guatemalena) Purple Wings (Dalechampia spp.) Crescent, Pale-banded (Anthanassa tulcis) Rio...