There has been dozens of threads even just right here on this forum alone (not counting the rest of the Garden Web), so it's pretty hard to narrow it down without a lot of specific parameters to go on.

Here's a start you might want to check through though...

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/butterfly/msg0600140526538.html
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/butterfly/msg0723520313061.html
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/butterfly/msg0714173926479.html
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/herbs/msg0616183211970.html
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/butterfly/msg0814123022014.html

HTH

Larry

Larry,

Thank you. This list helps a lot.

But a few questions: I have a pepper spray recipe that I use in the vegetable garden that's a distance from my butterfly garden, and the lady beetles are good for the veggies also. But don't lady beetles also eat BF eggs and cats? I think I read that somewhere and I am now trying to find that source. But I did read that lacewings DON'T control caterpillars? Does that sound correct? If so, does that mean that lacewings are best around a butterfly garden?

Linda

Linda,
Both Ladybug and Lacewing larvae will eat butterfly larvae (caterpillars) and eggs. Adult Laceewings won't eat the butterfly larvae/eggs, though. The larval form of both are the more voracious. :)

To control the !@#$% Oleander Aphid on the Milkweeds in my garden I use my garden hose and spray the heck out of them. It looks like I am 'washing' my plants. This is how I also water the plants (the adage, "kill two birds with one stone"). I prefer not to use anything ON the plants since I do feed so many critters. I do allow Ladybugs and Lacewings to hang out in the garden and if they do get some eggs/larvae from the butterflies, well, then that's life. It just means I wasn't fast enough in doing my collecting!

Ahhh. Okay. Now I understand. Thanx.

There are so many ways to control aphids.

Spray aphids with a blast from the water hose.

Add a hummingbird feeder to your garden. They drink nectar and eat aphids.

Hoover fly larvae also eat aphids.

Buy ladybugs at your local nursery. Spray plants lightly at dusk and release ladybugs. They will be super thirsty and will stick around till morning. Although they leave ... they also leave behind eggs which hatch and eat aphids.

Thank you. I guess my biggest worry has been finding a method that controls aphids that doesn't also repel butterflies. The blast from a water hose sounds like the safest.
Linda