The Elizabeth Gray Danforth Garden and Butterfly Guide (Ibby’s Garden)

Located on Danforth Campus at the intersection of Forsyth and Wallace Drive, the garden is a relaxing, natural area attractive to WashU students, faculty and staff, neighbors, local schools, and various groups of nature enthusiasts. The Butterfly Garden committee, partnered with Washington University Facilities, has developed the garden for 25 years, adding benches, picnic tables, and an arbor. Generous donations to the Butterfly Garden 25^th Anniversary Gift Fund made the addition of a spacious pergola and hardscape enhancements possible in 2021. Our volunteers have been raising Monarch and Swallowtail butterflies from eggs and releasing the adult butterflies into the garden to educate the public and to raise the number of Monarchs for migration. The garden qualified for certification as a Monarch Waystation from the national Monarch Watch organization in 2016. In 2021 we began participating in the Monarch tagging program through the University of Kansas. The Butterfly Garden endowment and the generosity of Washington University supports annual planting and operating expenses.

Spicebush Swallowtail​
Papilio troilus​

This butterfly is named for the Spicebush, the food source of its three broods of green larvae. In its flying stage this butterfly will take nectar from many flowers.

Zebra Swallowtail​
Protographium marcellus​

This butterfly will only eat Pawpaw tree leaves when in the larval stage.  When a butterfly, it eats nectar from flowers. 

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail​Papilio glaucus​

This butterfly with tails on its hind wings uses the leaves of tulip, hop, apple and plum trees as its larval food and nectar from flowers for energy.

Question Mark​Polygonia interrogationis​

This butterfly gets its name from the shape of wings that look like a question mark.  It hibernates in winter and eats elm and hackberry leaves as its larval food source.  ​

Red Admiral​
Vanessa atalanta​

This butterfly has an almost continuous orange circle on the dorsal (top) side. Both the adult and the pupa hibernate in winter, and there are several generations per year. ​

Monarch​
Danaus plexippus​

The larva eats only milkweed plants and as a result tastes bitter to predators.  This butterfly migrates to Mexico.  In the spring it flies north with many generations developing before fall. ​

Painted Lady​
Vanessa cardui​

This butterfly with white spots migrates north and is seen in April.  The larva prefers thistles and in the flying stage takes nectar from flowers.​

Buckeye​
Junonia coenia​

This butterfly migrates south- always staying where it is warm enough to continue the butterfly life cycle.  The larva feed on Plantain, Sedum, and Vervain, and in the flying stage the Buckeye uses the nectar from flowers for energy.​

Great Spangled Fritillary​
Speyeria cybele​

This butterfly has only one generation each year.  It eats violet leaves in its larval stage and many flowers for their sweet nectar in its flying stage.​

Silver Spotted Skipper​
Epargyreus clarus​

This butterfly holds its wings up and moves quickly.  It is the most easily recognized of the many skippers because of the bright white patch on both hind wings.​

Cabbage White​
Pieris rapae​

This butterfly is a European native and was found in North America in 1860.  The food source of its larva is the cabbage family.  Seen from March to October, it continues to lay eggs.​