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| Photos and Information Index Home Butterfly Garden Taina's Butterfly Page Cirsium arvense - Creeping Thistle, Canadian Thistle The Ultimate Food Plant |
| Pictures, from top left: Polygonia c-album, Aglais urticae, Mellicta athalia, and straight above, Inachis io. |
| You may have seen this plant surrounded by butterflies in the late summer or early fall, and you may have wondered, "What is that butterfly magnet?". Well, you may be surprised to hear that it actually is a wildflower that you have probably heard a lot of bad about, how invasive it is, how untidy it looks, etc. But the nature is not tidy, of course, and this plant, Cirsium arvense usually grows alongside with the Nettle, providing food for butterflies and all other insects, and seeds for birds. It is extremely rich in nectar and thus I have seen most butterflies choose it over any other food plant. What’s more, it is in bloom all summer long until September, providing important nutrition for hibernating and migrating butterflies. Allowing Cirsium arvense some space in your property is an easy way to provide food for the adult butterflies, particularly those that have utilized Nettle at the caterpillar stage. And it is completely free! Here's an idea - why not think wild, why not think Cirsium arvense? |