Fields:
Butterflies on Hyssop |
Butterflies on Hyssop _ Hyssopus officinalis _
From: R.M.K. (iss@ripco.com)
Subject: Re: Butterflies on Hyssop
Newsgroups: sci.bio.entomology.lepidoptera
Date: 1995/09/04
Hans Loechelt <HLOECHEL@FDAEM.SSW.DHHS.GOV> wrote:
>Every year in my herb garden I have the Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes
>sylvanoides) nectaring on my Hyssop plant. They use the plant from August
>to September. I have 50+ individuals coming to the plant daily.
*WHAT* type Hyssop are you talking about..??. There are over a dozen common Hyssopus spp. not to mention other genera which also contain the common name: "Hyssop" I was under the impression the original poster had made reference to ANISE Hyssop <Agastache foeniculum>, to wit, other replies had also mentioned lack of lep. feeding activity at this species... this was my experience, also... Bees love it... leps seem to pass it by.
Rob.
*
From: Patrick Roper (archmain@PAVILION.CO.UK)
Subject: Re: Butterflies on Hyssop
Newsgroups: sci.bio.entomology.lepidoptera
Date: 1995/09/04
I was the original poster (makes me sound like something painted by Toulouse-Lautrec!) on the topic of butterflies and Hyssop. In Europe generally Hyssopus officinalis is the plant referred to in butterfly gardening books. Anise Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum, is available in cultivation but rarely grown. Reports of butterflies on Hyssopus officinalis are very variable, some say it is one of the best plants they have, others that butterflies ignore it, though all note its attraction to bees.
Part of the reason for my wondering about Agastache foeniculum is that it is listed in Brooklyn Botanic Garden's book "Butterfly Gardens" (1995) where it says "Butterflies attracted: a wide variety, including Red Admiral, Mylitta Crescent, Painted Lady, Milbert's Tortoiseshell, sulphurs". The book also recommends Agastache urticifolia and A. cana.
Now are these good butterfly plants or not, or are they good in some places and no good in others?
So far, incidentally, no one on the LEPS list has claimed that Hyssopus officinalis is a good butterfly plant so it is begining to look as though this is a misconception that has taken root in the literature.
Patrick Roper Butterfly Conservation
*
From: Hans Loechelt (HLOECHEL@FDAEM.SSW.DHHS.GOV)
Subject: Re: butterflies on Hyssop
Newsgroups: sci.bio.entomology.lepidoptera
Date: 1995/09/07
To end some of the confusion when I stated that I have observed _Ochlodes sylvanoides_ nectaring on Hyssop in my herb garden. The name of the plant is _Hyssop officinalis_. I hope this helps.
Hans Loechelt U.S.Food and Drug Admin.
*
From: Patrick Roper (archmain@PAVILION.CO.UK)
Subject: Butterflies on Hyssop, _ Hyssopus officinalis _
Newsgroups: sci.bio.entomology.lepidoptera
Date: 1995/08/30
There appear to be two schools of thought on whether the various Hyssops (Hyssopus spp.) are attractive to butterflies or not. Some books on butterfly gardening say it is one of the best attractants available, others do not even list it.
This summer I have grown blue, pink and white forms of _ Hyssopus officinalis_ and the smaller, dark blue flowered _ Hyssopus aristatus _ and none of these plants has attracted any butterflies (except, briefly, a lone Meadow Brown _ Maniola jurtina_) though nearby flowers on other plant species have performed well.
I wonder if the true Hyssops get confused with the Anise Hyssops (Agastache urticifolia, A. cana etc.), though I have not tried these, or possibly with Hedge Hyssop (Gratiola officinalis), sometimes known as Gratia Dei because of its medicinal properties.
I would be interested to hear of other subscribers' experiences with Hyssop and butterflies. Is it just mine they don't like, or are successive generations of butterfly gardening writers perpetuating a myth that got into print by mistake years ago?
There may be French, Swiss or other mainland European lepidopterists who know something about this, so please reply in French, German, Italian etc. if it is easier.
Patrick Roper Butterfly Conservation
*
From: Pierre Zagatti (Pierre.Zagatti@versailles.inra.fr)
Subject: Re: Butterflies on Hyssop, _ Hyssopus officinalis _
Newsgroups: sci.bio.entomology.lepidoptera
Date: 1995/08/31
12 years ago I observed hundreds of Macroglossum stellatarum (hummingbird hawkmoth ?) on flowers of Hyssopus. There was also many Pieris and Lycaenids. Unfortunately it was in September in the French Pyrenees, too late for many interesting species.
It was a natural patch of Hyssopus canescens (according to my own identification...), with blue flowers.
I am not certain that other species of Hyssopus are attractive too.
Pierre Zagatti Seattle,Wash.
top of page