Do characteristics of pollinator‐friendly gardens predict the diversity, abundance, and reproduction of butterflies?

摘要: Pollinator declines have motivated efforts to plant nectar and host plants for butterflies other pollinators, but whether gardens promote pollinator conservation requires further investigation. We established garden plots determine type (native vs. exotic) weed maintenance (low or high) influence adult butterfly abundance species richness, the survival of immature stages four (monarch, queen, black swallowtail, gulf fritillary). To assess how predator activity mortality might differ inside compared suitable habitat patches, we caterpillar on sentinel placed within outside plots. The richness (all taxa) increased with number flowering per plot, did not depend weeding treatment. Exotic had greater monarch fritillary abundances, queen egg counts, lower swallowtail counts relative native (egg instar 5) ranged from 2 13% was similar across plots, except larvae, which higher in exotic Monarch risk those This study suggests that attracted a diversity supported reproduction focal species. Given versus work is needed examine natural enemy pressure gardens.