North Texas Real Estate Blog

We’ve all seen it: invading locusts occasionally plastering the driveways of North Texas real estate.  But how many of us have noticed that some landscapes among Southlake’s real estate, Colleyville’s real estate and Grapevine’s real estate are exquisitely bejeweled with colorful butterflies? 

When planning your gardens for North Texas real estate, it is good to know a little something about these species.  In fact, in order to enjoy a variety of fluttering butterflies, you’ll have to be downright scientific about your plans.  These creatures will require that you prepare your Southlake real estate specifically for their coming.

Plant-Sucking Cicadas, Locusts

These locusts are a type of grasshopper.  One differentiating characteristic of locusts is that they must suck out plant juices.  Regular grasshoppers chew the plants to get the juices.  Locusts fly; grasshoppers jump. 

Various parts of the country such as ours entertain cicada’s invasions annually.  However, our hotter climate seems to be perfect for the late summer hatching and “surprise” visits of hundreds of thousands of the little creatures.  Considering the long life cycle of locust broods (some living between 2 and 8 years, others 13, and still others 17 years), the harvest during occasional summers can be overwhelming and bothersome.

Let’s turn now to our delicate winged friends, the butterflies.

Pupa, Caterpillars and Butterflies

Re-creating a native habitat that is necessary to nurture a butterfly from the pupa stage to the caterpillar stage and then the butterfly stage of life takes some careful planting and watering.  About 700 species of butterflies live in North America.  Only 100 of these are common and most people are entertained by only a few different kinds. 

Supporting all of the life cycles can be achieved through planting the right groups of vegetation.  Adults need a nectar plant, water, and a place to bask in the sun.  Mud puddles supply needed moisture and extra nutrients.  Some people choose to use butterfly feeders and even butterfly houses. 

Some plant groups, such as asters, cherry, clover, marigold, milkweed, Queen Anne’s lace, and thistle, provide both food for caterpillars and nectar for adults.  If you are trying to attract a very specific butterfly, please research the exact needs of that species.  Black swallowtail butterflies are attracted to fennel and parsley; question mark butterflies like birch and elm trees, etc.

From beginning as an egg to becoming larva, growing up in the pupa, outgrowing six progressively larger skins in the pupa (called the chrysalis for butterflies), the miracle of life is most apparent when the pupatating caterpillar dissolves into a gooey substance and reforms itself into totally different looking creature—the beautiful butterfly.  The caterpillar’s habitat is only one branch long; the butterfly’s can be hundreds or thousands of miles in diameter.  So, you’ll have to be the hostess with the mostest to keep them at your house.