
Photo by Susan LaGrottaMonarch butterfly feasting on milkweed
“If you plant nectar plants, butterflies will come,” remarked Calusa Garden Club member Susan LaGrotta.
Calusa Park’s Butterfly Garden on Winterberry Drive is thriving, attracting a kaleidoscope of butterflies sipping the sweets from their favorite nectar plants and laying their eggs on the plentiful hosts plants. This small gem of a garden is maintained year- round by members of the Calusa Garden Club. On the last Saturday of each month, volunteers gather to weed, trim and take a quick inventory of the plants and butterflies.

Photo by Maria LambButterfly Garden Signage
Marco Island is perfect for butterfly gar- dening with warm weather and hundreds of

Photo by Donna KayZebra Longwing (Florida’s State Butterfly) enjoying nectar of the Firebush
Calusa Garden Club members Susan LaGrotta, Donna Kay and Sue Oldershaw keep a running list of plants that caterpillars feed on (host plants) and nectar plants that adult butterflies feed on (nectar plants). Plant what butterflies like and all year they will visit your garden and stay.
Common Nectar Plants: blue porter- weed,

Submitted PhotoMaria Lamb with clippers, Susan LaGrotta and Donna Kay, trimming butterfly garden.
Common Caterpillar Host Plants: Cassia, corky-stemmed passionflower, dill, fennel, pipevine, and scarlet milkweed.
The Butterfly Garden has a collection of favorite plants for the butterflies. Stop by for a visit, bring your camera and enjoy the butterflies as they flutter by.
The Butterfly Garden at Calusa Park was made possible as part of a donation to the City of Marco Island from the Calusa Garden Club. For more information on the Calusa Garden Club, visit them online at www.calusa.org and on Facebook/Calusa Garden Club.
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