I am always surprised and delighted when I spot a butterfly. Butterflies are works of beauty, simple gifts of nature. Their striking colors, patterned wings, and fluttering flight capture my attention when I'm in the yard. Watching them flit from flower to flower is mesmerizing. I know my monarchs and swallow tails, but beyond these favorites my identification memory from high school biology has faded with time.

In Indiana we have quite a few species of butterflies. Although there can be 20,000 species worldwide, North America has about 725 butterfly species. Looking at a list of butterflies, our major families found in Indiana are Papilionidae (Swallowtails), Pieredae (whites and yellows), Lycaenidae (Gossamer-winged blues and coppers), Riodinidae (Metalmarks), Nymphalidae (Brush-footed), and Hesperiidae (Skippers). As you can see, you would be well-served with Latin proficiency to name the butterflies. I don't name them, I just enjoy them. If curiosity gets the best of me, I head for my Golden Book of Butterflies to answer an identity question.

The life cycle of butterflies - from egg to caterpillar to pupa or chrysalis to adult butterfly - inspires awe and wonder. Wow! What amazing forms butterflies display during their lives. Like many birds, migration is a major part of some butterflies' cycles. Have you heard of the Monarch butterfly migration? In the spring check out www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/monarch_spring2011.html where you can watch the progress of the monarchs from Central America and Texas to Indiana. Other butterflies that migrate include the Painted Lady, Common Buckeye, American Lady, Red Admiral, Cloudless Sulphur, Skipper, Sachem, Question Mark, Clouded Skipper, Fiery Skipper, and Mourning Cloak.

I find it intriguing that you can interact with butterflies like you can with backyard birds. There are butterfly houses to provide shelter. You can put out butterfly feeders and offer nectar as food. Furthermore, there are plants and shrubs you can add to your landscape to attract their stopovers. A butterfly garden includes nectar-rich flowers. The ideal garden is one that supports both the adults and larvae by offering a wide variety plants, grasses, and flowers.

You can research the types of butterflies in your yard and make a match with the appropriate plants. For example, the larvae (caterpillars) of Monarch butterflies eat only milkweed. (This is why the Monarch is dubbed the "milkweed butterfly.") The adult Monarch consumes all sorts of different things including nectar, water, and even liquids from some of the fruits we consume. You can offer sugar water nectar in a feeder for them.

A final note: these magnificent day-flying insects can be seen at the Indianapolis Zoo Butterfly house. . . spectacular! Other ways to enjoy butterflies include taking photos of them, purchasing butterfly houses, ordering live larvae, and releasing adult butterflies at weddings and funerals. These captivating creatures have caught our attention for centuries, often as the subject of paintings, photographs, sculptures, and even tattoos. Yes, the beauty of butterflies is enduring.