Visit Botanic Gardens butterfly gardening class this weekend
There are more than 30 butterfly species commonly found in Durban.
ZOOLOGIST, Americo Bonkewitzz (PhD) will show Durban gardeners how to attract butterflies to their gardens by planting their favourite blooms.
The free class will be held at the Durban Botanic Gardens on October, 9 from 08:15 to 09:15.
Bonkewitzz, who is a butterfly specialist based in Eshowe, said there are several benefits to a butterfly-friendly garden.
“It will bring insectivorous birds to the garden (Cape Robin, Natal Robin, Crested Barbets, Bulbuls, Fiscal Shrikes) among many other predators. Female butterflies attracted by the host plants will lay eggs there and a population of caterpillars will be always present, creating a healthy ecosystem. It creates a connectivity between urban garden and the nearby pristine forests, helping the local ecosystem and boosting the local biodiversity,” he said.
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There are more than 30 butterfly species commonly found in Durban.
These include Dark Wonderer, Black-based Acraea, Blood-red Acraea, Pearl Charaxes, Spotted Sailer, Pied Piper and Golden Piper, as well as the Common Diadem, Common Mother of Pearl, Southern Gaudy Commodore, Garden Inspector, Painted lady, Vine-leaf Vagrant, African Caper White, Swallowtail Swallowtail, Large Striped Swordtail and the Striped Policeman.
There are several indigenous plants that attract these winged creatures, said Bonkewitzz.
“The most important host plants are Horsewood (Clausena anisata), White Ironwood (Vepris lanceolata), Milkweed (such as Asclepias), grasses like Basket Grass and Lamark’s Grass, Caper Bushes, Dyschoriste and River Nettle,” he said.
Best plants for butterflies
According to Bonkewitzz, indigenous nectar plants that attract butterflies include Pentas, Wild Heliotrope (Linzia glabra), Veld Justicia (Justicia protracta), Paper Plume (Justicia betonica), African Mallow (Anisodontia elegans), Forest Pink Mallow (Hibiscus pedunculatus) and Wild Impatients (Impatient hochstetteri).
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“Aliens will take over the space where an indigenous could be occupying, negatively affecting the ecosystem. When you remove indigenous plants, you are actually displacing wildlife. You are not creating a habitat for the indigenous fauna and the local biodiversity collapses,” he added.
The butterfly garden at Botanic Gardens was created in 2015.
“Since its establishment, people have seen an increase in butterflies and birds coming to the Durban Botanic Gardens. It became an excellent educational asset for the people of Durban to learn about butterfly gardening and how to contribute to the local biodiversity,” he said.
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