Posted on October 5, 2025 by Mark at Butterfly Acre | Category: Organic Gardening, Conservation
Learn how to transform your backyard into a pesticide-free haven for butterflies with organic native plants, natural water sources, and chemical-free practices. Discover which plants attract specific butterfly species and how organic farming creates sustainable habitats.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll cover everything from selecting the right host plants for caterpillars to creating nectar-rich feeding stations for adults. You'll also learn about the importance of avoiding pesticides and providing overwintering sites...
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Posted on September 28, 2025 by Mark at Butterfly Acre | Category: Education, Migration
Discover the amazing multi-generational migration of Monarch butterflies and what we can do to support their journey. Each fall, millions of Monarchs travel up to 3,000 miles from North America to their overwintering sites in Mexico.
What makes this journey even more remarkable is that it takes multiple generations to complete. The butterflies that arrive in Mexico have never been there before, yet they find their way to the exact same trees their great-great-grandparents used...
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Posted on September 15, 2025 by Mark at Butterfly Acre | Category: Education, Science
Explore the fascinating stages of butterfly transformation from egg to adult in this comprehensive guide. Metamorphosis is one of nature's most remarkable processes, involving a complete reorganization of the insect's body.
During the chrysalis stage, the caterpillar literally dissolves into a protein-rich soup before reassembling as a butterfly. Learn about the hormones that trigger this transformation, the timeline for different species, and how you can observe this process...
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Posted on August 30, 2025 by Mark at Butterfly Acre | Category: Photography, Tips
Capturing beautiful butterfly photos requires patience, technique, and understanding of butterfly behavior. Whether you're using a smartphone or a professional camera, these tips will help you take stunning butterfly photographs.
The best time to photograph butterflies is in the morning when they're less active and dew-covered. Learn about ideal lighting conditions, approaching butterflies without disturbing them, camera settings for macro photography, and ethical photography practices...
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Posted on August 15, 2025 by Mark at Butterfly Acre | Category: Organic Gardening, Conservation
Native plants have evolved alongside native butterflies for thousands of years, creating essential relationships. Many butterfly species are specialists that can only lay eggs on specific native plant species - their caterpillars literally cannot survive on anything else.
When we landscape with exotic ornamental plants, we may be creating "food deserts" for butterflies. Learn which native plants support the most butterfly species in your region and how to design a beautiful garden that's also ecologically valuable...
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Posted on July 28, 2025 by Mark at Butterfly Acre | Category: Education, Seasonal
As temperatures drop, you might wonder what happens to all the butterflies. The answer varies by species! Some migrate to warmer climates, some overwinter as adults in protected spots, while others survive winter as eggs, caterpillars, or chrysalises.
Mourning Cloaks and some other species actually overwinter as adults, tucking themselves into tree bark crevices and entering a dormant state. On warm winter days, you might even spot them flying! Learn about different overwintering strategies and how you can help...
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