Contact
Menu
Home Donate Partner With Us Become a Member The Conservation Circle COL Endowment Preserving Land Caring for the Land Why Preserve Land? How To Protect Your Land Partnership with The Pokagon Fund Glossary of Terms Protected Properties Map Land Conservation Plan Land Stewardship Land Stewardship Volunteer Stewardship Ongoing Projects Founders Preserve Other Improvement Projects Invasive Species Chapman Family Preserve Visit Our Preserves COL Preserves Map Burns Prairie Preserve Castle Keep Preserve Chris Thompson Memorial Preserve Flynn Woods Preserve Grand Beach Marsh Preserve Jens Jensen Preserve Leonard Wildlife Preserve Galien River Marsh Preserves Merritt and Younger Family Preserves Myron Perlman Nature Preserve Robinson Woods Preserve Sugarwood Forest Preserve Trillium Woodlands Preserve Turtle Creek Preserve Volunteer Stewardship Stewardship Volunteer Citizen Science Butterfly Monitoring Volunteer News & Events Latest News and Photos News Media Clips Photo Galleries COL Video Library Publications Current Newsletter Archived Newsletters Archived Annual Reports Upcoming Events Events Calendar About About About Chikaming Open Lands Current Audited Financial Statement Board of Directors Current COL Board of Directors Staff Current COL Staff Blog Contact

Home Blog A Flurry of Wings: It’s Peak Butterfly Season!

A Flurry of Wings: It’s Peak Butterfly Season!

Posted on July 25, 2025

There’s no better time than mid-summer to witness the beauty and diversity of butterflies in Southwest Michigan. Whether you’re exploring Burns Prairie Preserve or any other grassland and prairie habitats, you may be greeted by flashes of orange, yellow, and blue fluttering through the landscape.

Butterflies aren’t just beautiful, they’re also important pollinators and indicators of ecosystem health. That’s why Chikaming Open Lands participates in the Michigan Butterfly Network’s citizen science monitoring program. Stewards and volunteers spend time on our preserves each summer to document butterfly species and help track long-term population trends across the state.



Native Butterflies to Look For

While monarchs tend to get all the glory (and for good reason!), many other butterflies call our region home. Below are just a few that are stewardship team has spotted this week while working on the preserves. Want a resource to take with you on the trails? We recommend this Michigan Butterflies & Pollinators pocket guide

Photos taken by COL Stewardship Field Supervisor, Mandy Allred



Create Habitat at Home

Want to attract butterflies to your backyard? Start by planting native species that provide both nectar for adults and food for caterpillars. Many butterflies are specialists, meaning their larvae can only feed on specific host plants. For example, monarch caterpillars only eat milkweed. Here are some key host and nectar plants to consider:

  • Milkweed (especially Asclepias tuberosa and A. incarnata) provides nectar and serves as a larval host for monarchs

  • Wild bergamot, coneflower, and black-eyed Susan are excellent nectar sources for many adult butterflies

  • Native violets are critical for fritillary larvae

  • Herbs such as parsley, dill, and fennel, as well as golden alexander are a great host plant for black swallowtail

By planting a mix of these native plants and wildflowers and leaving some “wild” spaces in your yard, you’ll support butterflies through all life stages, from egg to adult. Learn more about habitat restoration from our friends at Pizzo & Associates.


Take a Walk, Spot Some Wings

While Burns Prairie Preserve is one of the most popular COL preserves for butterfly-viewing, Chris Thompson Memorial Preserve, Sugarwood Forest Preserve, and Castle Keep Preserve are also great spots to visit on a warm, sunny day. 

Together, we can enjoy and protect the vibrant species that make our landscapes so lively and colorful!