Butterfly Preserve
Butterfly & Wildflower Preserve, Gardens and Meadows
Lock 57 Community Park, Ohioville Pa.
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The Ohio River Trail Council (ORTC) supports the development of a Butterfly preserves along the Ohio River Trail Corridor. The ORTC is currently asking for land donations.
The preserve will contain a large variety of nectar plants (food plants) and host plants (the plants that butterflies lay eggs on). Plants were chosen on the basis of the following characteristics:
1. Sources of nectar and host plants for larval food
2. Diversity - More variety attracts more birds and butterflies; some plant species may grow better than others in our chosen site
3. Natives - Are more hardy and disease resistant, are naturally ecologically compatible with wildlife
4. Sun and soil type
5. Bloom time - Early spring - frost
6. Aesthetic qualities - Height, color, texture, growth habit
The trees that could be planted are Spicebush, Eastern Red Cedar, Dwarf Hackberry, Pawpaw, Cherry and Willows which are host plants for a variety of butterflies.
Nectar plants to be considered are as follows: Verbena Bonariensis, Buddleia (Butterfly Bush), Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower), Field Thistle (not Canadian Thistle), Purple Coneflower, State Fair mix Zinnias, Giant Hysopp, Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum Flexuosum), Late Flowering Bonset, Common Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Wingstem, Joe Pye Weed, & Ironweed.
Currently, the ORTC is seeking a parcel of land approximately 5 to 20 acres in size for the preserve. Also smaller Butterfly Gardens from 20' X 20' and larger can be developed along the Ohio River Trail communities.
