I have highlighted a couple of birds so far. Without insects, though, there would not be birds. Butterflies are the superstars of the insect world. However, they are relatively rare in my yard/garden. Their numbers have been on the rise since I started planting native plants, though, so I am hopeful to see more and more.
My favorite local butterfly is the woodland skipper (Ochlodes sylvanodes), a small orange-and-brown butterfly native to the western US and Canada.
I used to see woodland skippers occasionally in summer on some of the ornamental plants in the garden. They seem particularly fond of asters. It was a rare and magical experience to see one. They are small for butterflies (wingspan around 1″), and they often rest on leaves or flowers with their wings open. They present a more practical image, rather than the extravagant, large-winged wonders that we think of when the word butterfly hits our brains. I find them cute, cheerful, perky, energetic, and a lot of fun.
Woodland skipper larvae feed on grasses. Knowing this, I planted a big patch of Leymus grass in 2020, and it has spread even more since then. I have not seen woodland skipper larvae on those grass plants. I have noticed the number of adult butterflies increasing in my yard over the last few years. There are summer days when I see five or six at a time, something I never used to see.
I am going to plant more native grasses and more asters in the spring to try to bring in even more skippers.
