A checklist of the plants and animals that make our butterfly garden their home.
Wildflowers and Herbs
Slender amaranth (Amaranthus gracilis)
Bishop’s-weed (Ammi majus)
Hemlock (Conium maculatum)
Eryngo (Eryngium glomeratum)
Wild carrot (Daucus carota)
Burnet-saxifrage (Pimpinella corymbosa)
Hedge-parsley (Torilis nodosa)
Greater periwinkle (Vinca major)
Arum (Arum palaestinum)
Green arum (Arum hygrophilum)
Common ivy (Hedera helix)
Milfoil (Achillea wilhelmsii)
Chamomile (Anthemis cotula)
Carline-thistle (Carlina involucrata)
Thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus)
Red star-thistle (Centaurea calcitrapa)
Daisy (Glebionis coronarium)
Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Hawkweed (Crepis syriaca)
Globe-thistle (Echinops viscosus)
Hemp-agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)
Tumbleweed (Gundelia tournefortii)
Woody fleabane (Dittrichia viscosa)
Plumed-thistle (Onopordum carduiforme)
Yellow cnicus (Picnomon acarna)
Oxtongue (Picris echioides)
Fleabane (Pulicaria dystenterica)
Spotted golden-thistle (Scolymus maculatus)
Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)
Spring groundsel (Senecio vernalis)
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum)
Saw-thistle (Sonchus oleraceus)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Goat’s-beard (Tragopogon longirostris)
Spiny cocklebur (Xanthium spinosum)
Barberry (Berberis libanotica)
Bugloss (Anchusa azurea)
Alkanet (Alkanna strigosa)
German madwort (Asperugo procumbens)
Hound’s-tongue (Cynoglossum creticum)
Viper’s-bugloss (Echium glomeratum)
Heliotrope (Heliotropium rotundifolium)
Maiden-lip (Lappula barbata)
Gromwell (Lithospermum arvense)
Forget-me-not (Myosotis refracta)
Hoary cress (Cardaria draba)
Wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia)
Bladder rocket-salad (Eruca vesicaria)
Woad (Isatis tinctoria)
Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum)
White mustard (Sinapis alba)
Hedge mustard (Sisymbrium officinale)
Venus’ looking-glass (Legousia speculum-veneris)
Caper (Capparis spinosa)
Honeysuckle (Lonicera etrusca)
Black elder (Sambucus nigra)
Campion (Silene aegyptiaca)
Orache (Atriplex rosea)
Goosefoot (Chenopodium album)
Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
Dorycnium bindweed (Convolvulus dorycnium)
Morning-glory (Ipomoea purpurea)
Field dodder (Cuscuta campestris)
Scabious (Scabiosa palaestina)
Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
Turnsole (Chrozophora tinctoria)
Sun spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia)
Camel-thorn (Alhagi maurorum)
Globe milk-vetch (Astragalus echinops)
Vetchling (Lathyrus hierosolymitanus)
Birdsfoot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Medick (Medicago rotata)
Restharrow (Ononis spinosa)
Broom (Spartium junceum)
Field clover (Trifolium pratense)
Purple clover (Trifolium purpureum)
White clover (Trifolium repens)
Tomentose clover (Trifolium tomentosum)
Ashy vetch (Vicia cinerea)
Broad-podded vetch (Vicia peregrina)
Stemless storksbill (Erodium acaule)
Helock storksbill (Erodium cicutarium)
Round-leaved cranesbill (Geranium rotundifolium)
Saffron (Crocus aleppicus)
Bugle (Ajuga chia)
Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)
White-horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
Water mint (Mentha aquatica)
Lampwick plant (Phlomis syriaca)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Wild clary (Salvia verbenaca)
Thyme (Thymus syriacus)
Tassel-hyacinth (Muscari comosum)
Grape-hyacinth (Muscari racemosum)
Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum montanum)
Flax (Linum pubescens)
Hollyhock (Alcea setosa)
Mallow (Malva sylvestris)
Wild jasmine (Jasminum fruticans)
Wild poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
Plantain (Plantago lagopus)
Goat-grass (Aegilops ovata)
Foxtail (Alopeucus utriculatus)
Beard-grass (Andropogon distachyos)
Wild oat (Avena barbata)
Quaking-grass (Briza minor)
Brome (Bromus syriacus)
Orchard-grass (Dactylis glomerata)
Prickle-grass (Echinaria capitata)
Brittle oat (Gaudinia fragilis)
Wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum)
Timothy-grass (Phleum boissieri)
Meadow-grass (Poa bulbosa)
Hard-grass (Sclerochloa dura)
Feather-grass (Stipa parviflora)
Field pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis)
Pheasant’s-eye (Adonis aestivalis)
Anemone (Anemone coronaria)
Traveller’s joy (Clematis vitalba)
Buttercup (Ranunculus cornutus)
Mignonette (Reseda lutea)
Wild rose (Rosa canina)
Sweet briar (Rosa glutinosa)
Blackberry (Rubus hedycarpus)
Bedstraw (Galium aparine)
Field madder (Sherardia arvensis)
Mullein (Verbascum gaillardotii)
Speedwell (Veronica syriaca)
Love apple (Mandragora autumnalis)
Nightshade (Solanum luteum)
Corn-salad (Valerianella echinata)
Broomrape (Orobanche ramosa)
Trees
Almond (Prunus amygdalus)
Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
Bear plum (Prunus ursina)
Cherry (Prunus avium)
Peach (Prunus persica)
Syrian pear (Pyrus communis)
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)
Orange (Citrus sinensis)
Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libani)
Stone pine (Pinus pinea)
Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis)
Sumach (Rhus coriaria)
Oleaster (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
Poplar (Populus alba)
Willow (Salix alba)
Palestine oak (Quercus calliprinos)
Aleppo oak (Quercus infectoria)
Walnut (Juglans regia)
Laurel (Laurus nobilis)
Popinac (Acacia farnesiana)
Persian lilac (Melia azedarach)
Fig (Ficus carica)
Sycamore (Ficus sycomorus)
Olive (Olea europea)
Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba)
Hawthorn (Crataegus azarolus)
White hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Ferns
Silver fern (Asplenium adiantum-nigrum)
Eagle fern (Pteridium aquilinum)
Mosses
Thread-mosses (Bryum spp.)
Cord-mosses (Funaria spp.)
Mushrooms
Cap fungus (Crepidotus mollis)
Stereum hirsutum
Annelids
Earthworms (Lumbricus spp.)
Mollusks
Garden snails (Cornu aspersum, Oxychilus camelinus, Monacha syriaca, and Theba pisana)
Slugs (Agriolimax spp.)
Dragonflies
Migrant hawker (Aeshna mixta)
Broad scarlet (Crocothemis erythraea)
Coleopterans
Ground beetles (Harpalus spp.)
Soldier beetles (Trichonoma spp.)
Rose chafer (Cetonia aurata)
Garden chafer (Phyllopertha horticola)
Omophlus syriacus
Weevils (Hypera, Anthonomus, Lixus, and Rhynchites spp.)
Ladybug (Coccinella septumpunctata)
Hemipterans
Striped shieldbug (Graphosoma lineatum)
Green shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
Fire bug (Pyrrhocoris apterus)
Butterflies
Common swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
Clouded yellow (Colias croceus)
Salmon caper (Colotis fausta)
Caper white (Belenois aurota)
Large white (Pieris brassicae)
Small white (Pieris rapae)
Bath white (Pontia daplidice)
Levantine leopard (Cigaritis acamas)
Small copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
Lesser fiery copper (Lycaena thersamon)
Brown argus (Aricia agestis)
Long-tailed blue (Lampides boeticus)
Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus)
Common blue (Polyommatus icarus)
Grass jewel (Chilades trochylus)
Plain tiger (Danaus chrysippus)
Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Painted lady (Vanessa cardui)
Cardinal (Argynnis pandora)
Glanville fritillary (Melitaea cinxia)
Desert fritillary (Melitaea deserticola)
Knapweed fritillary (Melitaea phoebe)
Levantine marbled white (Melanargia titea)
Great steppe grayling (Chazara persephone)
Klug’s tawny rock brown (Pseudochazara pelopea)
Wall brown (Lasiommata megera)
Coal skipper (Gegenes pumilio)
Hollyhock skipper (Carcharodus alceae)
Sage skipper (Muschampia proto)
Orbiferous skipper (Spialia orbifer)
Moths
Hummingbird hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
Striped hawkmoth (Hyles livornica)
Leopard moth (Zeuzera pyrina)
Oak eggar (Lasiocampa grandis)
Almond eggar (Eriogaster amygdali)
Corn earworm (Helicoverpa armigera)
Crimson-speckled moth (Utetheisa pulchella)
Plumed grey (Selidosema plumaria)
Turnip moth (Agrotis segetum)
Pale shoulder (Acontia lucida)
Beet webworm moth (Spoladea recurvalis)
Grey dagger (Acronicta psi)
Bramble shoot moth (Notocelia uddmaniana)
Fruit tortrix (Acleris variegana)
Peach twig-borer (Anarsia lineatella)
Jasmine moth (Palpita vitrealis)
Plume moths (Platyptilia acanthodactyla and Emmelina monodactyla)
Dipterans
Craneflies (Tipula spp.)
Hymenopterans
Ants (Crematogaster, Solenopsis, Camponotus, and Formica spp.)
Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Paper wasp (Polistes gallicus)
Thread-waisted wasp (Sceliphron spirifex)
Honeybee (Apis mellifera)
Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Carpenter bee (Xylocopa violacea)
Eucera spp.
Orthopterans
Saddle-backed bushcricket (Ephippiger ephippiger)
Long-winged conehead (Conocephalus fuscus)
Southern wartbiter (Decticus albifrons)
Stone grasshopper (Orchamus yersini)
Common field grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus)
Meadow grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus)
Field cricket (Gryllus campestris)
Mole cricket (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa)
Egyptian locust (Anacridium aegyptium)
Other Insects
Earwig (Forficula auricularia)
Mantids (Mantis religiosa, Empusa fasciata, and Miomantis spp.)
Arachnids
Wolf spiders (Lycosa spp.)
Crab spiders (Thomisus, Heriaeus, Philodromus, and Xysticus spp.)
Garden spiders (Araneus, Argiope, and Epeira spp.)
Harvestmen (Pholcus spp.)
Chilopods
Centipedes (Lithobius, Geophilus, and Scutigera spp.)
Diplopods
Millipedes (Julus spp.)
Pill-millipedes (Glomeris spp.)
Isopods
Pillbugs (Armadillidium spp.)
Amphibians
Near Eastern fire salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata)
Green toad (Pseudopidalea viridis)
Levant green frog (Pelophylax bedriagae)
Middle East tree frog (Hyla savignyi)
Reptiles
Tortoise (Testudo graeca)
Stripe-necked turtle (Mauremys caspica)
Hardun (Stellagama stellio)
Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon)
Lebanon lizard (Phoenicolacerta laevis)
Levant green lizard (Lacerta media)
Bridled skink (Trachylepis vittata)
Snake-eyed lizard (Ophisops elegans)
Large whip snake (Dolichophis jugularis)
Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus)
Ratsnake (Zamenis hohenackeri)
Birds
Common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Little owl (Athene noctua)
Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Swift (Apus apus)
Hooded crow (Corvus cornix)
Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Song thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)
Graceful warbler (Prinia gracilis)
Sardinian warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)
Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Great tit (Parus major)
Bulbul (Pycnonotus xanthopygos)
Masked shrike (Lanius nubicus)
Black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)
Serin (Serinus serinus)
Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Mammals
Lesser white-toothed shrew (Crocidura suaveolens)
Hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor)
Bats (Eptesicus and Pipistrellus spp.)
Molerat (Nannospalax ehrenbergi)
Wood mouse (Apodemus flavicollis)
Levant vole (Microtus guentheri)
Stone marten (Martes foina)
Wild cat (Felis sylvestris)
Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Golden jackal (Canis aureus)
Grey wolf (Canis lupus, unconfirmed)
Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena)