Bulletin #7151, Landscaping for #Butterflies in #Maine (PDF)

This fact sheet was developed by: Nancy Coverstone, Extension educator, Jim Dill, Extension pest management specialist, and Lois Berg Stack, Extension ornamental horticulture specialist.

Table of Contents:

- The Life Cycle of Butterflies
- Common Maine Butterflies
- How to Create Habitat that Entices Butterflies
- “Wild” Places Attract Butterflies
- #NativePlants Support Butterflies
- Design Tips for a Successful #ButterflyGarden
- Nectar Sources for Butterflies and Moths
- Larval Food Sources
- Further Readings

"Butterflies are beautiful insects, and they are also an important part of the ecosystem. In their search for nectar, they spread pollen from one flower to another and help ensure seed for new generations of plants. They also recycle nutrients and are prey for many species of birds, spiders and small mammals. Gardening and landscaping can create or enhance habitats for butterflies so they may survive and thrive. Whether your yard is in a city, suburb or rural community, you can make it a haven for butterflies.

Butterflies belong to the insect order Lepidoptera, along with moths and skippers. All species of butterflies in Maine, of which there are more than one hundred, have four wings covered with small scales. The butterfly families in Maine are #swallowtails (Papilionidae), whites and sulphurs (Pieridae), gossamer-wings (Lycaenidae), brush-footed butterflies (Nymphalidae), #monarchs (Danaidae), and arctics and satyrs (Satyridae), which includes the endangered #KatahdinArctic. Skippers (#Hesperiidae) have characteristics of both butterflies and moths.

When developing a landscape for butterflies, first consider butterfly species present in your area and their preferred habitats. Then consider plants suited to your climate and your backyard habitat. Assess what your landscape already provides, and add to that. Each butterfly species has a preference or need for a particular habitat type, such as meadow, woods, woodland edges or marshes. Also, some species are specialists, while others are generalists regarding food sources. The habitat preference as well as plants you provide will determine your success in attracting a particular butterfly species. An identification field guide will prove helpful."

Learn more:
https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/7151e/

#SolarPunkSunday #ButterflyHabitat #BackyardHabitats #GardeningForPollinators #UMaineExtension #UMaineCooperativeExtension

Bulletin #7153, Understanding #NativeBees, the Great #Pollinators: Enhancing Their Habitat in #Maine (PDF)

This fact sheet provides information on the native bees in Maine and their habitat requirements. It suggests ways to manage our yards for bees, so that the bees will survive, thrive and reproduce. Food plants, nest sites and appropriate nest materials are critical for enhancing bee habitats.

Includes a list of "some plants known to be attractive to native bees in Maine."

Excerpt: "Finding the Bees in Your Yard

The most likely place to find bees is in the flowers of native plants, when the day is sunny, relatively calm, and the temperature is above 70°F. To be active, fly and feed, bees need to be warm. A few species are active below 60°, but most prefer temperatures above 72°. Wind makes flying more difficult because it requires more energy. Although some species may be active by late February if temperatures are unusually warm, the vernal bee species (those present in the spring) generally become active by mid-April. You may observe them on early blooming flowers, such as willow catkins and dandelions. Some native bee species continue their activities into the autumn until the last asters, dandelions and autumn dandelions die. The greatest diversity and abundance of native bees is in midsummer, unless there is a lack of suitable flowers, perhaps because of drought, heavy rains, or how the landscape is managed.

Other places to find native bees are where they nest. Look at the soil along bare banks with a sunny southern exposure. Look in bramble canes, beetle borings in snags, and in abandoned birdhouses. If you do search for bee nests, remember to be cautious for yourself and respectful of them!"

Read more:
https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/7153e/

#SolarPunkSunday #GardeningForPollinators #PollinatorHabitat #MainePollinators #MaineBees #NativeBees #NativePlants #BeeFriendlyPlants #UMaineExtension #UmaineCooperativeExtension

Doing some of this myself!

The Last of Winter: Using Up Your Home #Canned and #FrozenFoods

April 9, 2026, Sandra Mitchell, #UMaineExtension

"By the time April rolls around, the rhythm of the kitchen begins to shift. The bins of stored vegetables—once full in the fall—are noticeably lighter. The onions have softened, a few potatoes have begun to sprout, and the last of the carrots are tucked into the corners of the crisper drawer. In the freezer, bags of berries and containers of soup remain, but their number is dwindling. Shelves that held neatly stacked jars of tomatoes, beans, and pickles now show gaps. This is the quiet end of the storage season.

For those who preserve food, April is not a time of abundance. It is a time of assessment, creativity, and careful use—a moment to take stock of what remains and use it well, while maintaining food safety and quality.

Taking Inventory: What Do You Have Left?

Before planning meals or preservation projects, it is worth taking a deliberate inventory of stored foods:

- Root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, winter squash)
- Frozen produce (berries, vegetables, prepared meals, stocks)
- Home-canned goods (vegetables, fruits, sauces, soups, pickles) [Also store-bought canned foods -- check dates and make sure cans aren't bulging or rusted]

As you assess, check for quality and safety:

- Discard root vegetables that are soft, moldy, or show signs of rot
- Remove sprouts and green portions from potatoes before use
- Examine home-canned jars for seal integrity and discard any with signs of spoilage (bulging lids, leakage, or off-odors)
- Use frozen foods that have been well-wrapped and free of freezer burn first

This process not only ensures safety but helps guide how to use remaining foods efficiently."

https://extension.umaine.edu/food-health/2026/04/09/the-last-of-winter-using-up-your-home-canned-and-frozen-foods/

#SolarPunkSunday #UMaineCooperativeExtension #FoodWaste #FoodSecurity #Recipes #FoodPreservation #CannedFood #FrozenFood #FoodSafety #FoodStorage

#LewistonME - #UMaineExtension hosts #vegetable and #fruit school on March 17

Lewiston, Maine — "University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers Association will co-host the Maine Vegetable and Fruit School on Tuesday, March 17, from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. at the University of Southern Maine – Lewiston Campus, Room 170, 51 Westminster Street.

The day-long program is designed for commercial vegetable and fruit growers, and will focus on pest management and crop production topics. Presentations will include pest management for strawberries, squash, cucumber, garlic, and onions; cherry tomato production, new vegetable varieties, post-harvest handling, and grape potential in New England. Presenters include UMaine Extension faculty and researchers. Pesticide applicator recertification credits and continuing education credits are available.

The $50 registration fee includes a catered lunch. Register by March 12 on the program webpage. Walk-ins are welcome but lunch will not be guaranteed for those participants. In case of bad weather, check the University of Southern Maine weather hotline at 207.780.4800."

Reasonable accomodations are possible.

FMI and to register:
https://extension.umaine.edu/2026/02/13/vegetable-and-fruit-school-march-17/

#SolarPunkSunday #GrowYourOwn #GrowYourOwnFood #GardeningWorkshops #MaineGardening

#StartingSeeds at Home with #UMaineExtension

Mar 3, 2021

"You can get a big jump on #Maine’s short #gardening season when you grow your own #seedlings. Instead of waiting for the ground to warm up enough to sow seeds outside, start enjoying flowers and harvesting vegetables four to six weeks earlier by starting seeds at home.

Starting your own plants from seed also allows you to choose from the much broader array of varieties offered in seed catalogs.

Using transplants instead of direct-seeding is especially important for plants that take a longer time to mature or are sensitive to frost."

Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da1gOgjaqaM

Find more research-based information about home #gardening in Maine from UMaine Extension:
https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/

#SolarPunkSunday #GrowYourOwnFood #GrowYourOwn #GardeningInMaine #SeedStarting

#LisbonFallsME - #UMaineExtension offers #pickling and #salsa workshops at #LittleRidgeFarm

July 2, 2025

"University of Maine Cooperative Extension is offering two food preservation workshops at Little Ridge Farm, 103 Gould Rd. in Lisbon Falls. Pickling and canning #DillyBeans (pickled green beans) will be held Tuesday, July 29, 2025, from 5:30 – 8 p.m. and preserving #TomatoSalsa will take place Tuesday, August 26, 2025, from 2 – 5:30 p.m.

"Participants will learn recommended methods for preserving foods, the latest and safest recipes, what equipment to use to ensure safety, and how to check for properly sealed jars. A local snack is included with the course. Attendees are encouraged to bring a potholder.

"Registration is required for the courses. The fee is $25 per workshop. Register on the program webpage. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Kate McCarty, 207.781.6099; [email protected]."

https://extension.umaine.edu/2025/07/02/pickling-and-salsa-workshops-at-little-ridge-farm/

#SolarPunkSunday #FoodPreservation #HowTo #HandsOn #FoodSafety #PreservingTheHarvest #FoodSecurity #UMaine #UMaineCooperativeExtension #Maine #Pickling #Salsa #Canning

#SustainableAgriculture research tour planned for July 16 at #UMaine farm in #OldTownME

June 30, 2025

Old Town, Maine — "University of Maine Cooperative Extension will hold its annual Sustainable Agriculture Research Tour on Wednesday, July 16 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the UMaine #RogersFarm Forage and Crop Research Facility, 914 Bennoch Rd., Old Town and the nearby #WymansWildBlueberry Research Center.

"The event is geared toward #farmers, crop advisors and others interested in #agricultural production. Faculty and staff from UMaine’s School of Food and Agriculture and #UMaineExtension will present their field research on a variety of crops. Specific topics will include #organic #NoTill dry #bean production methods, soil health demonstrations, #CimateChange effects on wild blueberries, #agroforestry and variety trials for #forage #legumes and #potatoes.

"This event is free and pre-registration is not required. Participants will receive two pesticide certification credits and 3.5 CCA credits. Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. For a detailed announcement visit the event webpage.

"Rogers Farm and Wyman’s Wild Blueberry Research Center are two of several facilities across the state that comprise the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station.

"For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Thomas Molloy at [email protected].

About University of Maine Cooperative Extension:

"As a trusted resource for over 100 years, Extension has supported UMaine’s #LandAndSeaGrant public education role by conducting community-driven, research-based programs in every Maine county. UMaine Extension seeks to build thriving communities and grow the food-based economy, focusing on aspects from production and processing to nutrition, food safety and food security. Extension also conducts the most successful out-of-school youth educational program in Maine through 4-H which offers hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement and creates a positive environment where participants are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles."

FMI:
https://extension.umaine.edu/2025/06/30/sustainable-agriculture-research-tour-2/

#SolarPunkSunday #RegenerativeAgriculture #Sustainability #FarmingInMaine #ClimateChangeFarming

This is the workshop I took a few years ago...

Food Preservation Workshops

Ever wonder how to preserve and use all of that great locally-grown produce? University of #Maine Cooperative Extension food preservation workshops will teach you the basics of #canning and #freezing, including how to use #PressureCanners and water bath canners to preserve #pickles, #jam, and #vegetables. Workshops are taught by #UMaineExtension staff and #MasterFoodPreserver Volunteers.

Financial assistance is available; please email the UMaine Extension staff at [email protected] for more information.
Hands-On Preserving Workshops

Spring 2025 workshops coming soon!

Financial assistance is available for those in need; please contact UMaine Extension staff at [email protected] for more information.

Don’t see a workshop offered near you? Request a food preservation workshop by completing and submitting the Request a Food Preservation Workshop form.

https://extension.umaine.edu/food-health/food-preservation/hands-on-workshops/
#FoodPreservation #UMaineCooperativeExtension