Butterflies and moths can cop a bad reputation due to the likes of white cabbage moth and other caterpillars that eat your plants. However butterflies are not only pretty and enchanting to watch flitting around, they are also quite efficient pollinators and an indicator of a healthy and diverse environment.

Butterflies are attracted to red, white, yellow, blue and purple flowers with pollen. Daisies provide a steady, flat landing platform from which they can balance while accessing pollen. If you plant them in large drifts the intensity of colour and scent will draw butterflies to the pollen. A butterfly habitat should be sheltered from wind and be in a sunny spot in the garden with rocks for sunning. You also need to provide a small shallow dish of water with a rock placed in the centre to break the water tension.

Providing the specific food requirements for butterflies throughout their life cycle (don’t forget about caterpillars), as well as habitat for egg laying, will benefit our rare and threatened species like the Eltham Copper Butterfly. Sweet Bursaria, Lomandra, Brachyschome and Bracteantha are all great options.

You will also need to restrain yourself from killing all the caterpillars in your garden – if a caterpillar is not doing significant damage to your plant then it is ok to leave it alone.