Jean and I cross-posted! Honestly, later in the year is better. I always tell people if you can stand the heat, late summer and early fall are really the best time if you want to see the most species of butterflies. Of course, if a person wanted to see a particular species of butterfly, I would have to modify that answer. But really, when it's face-melting hot outside is when the butterflies like it the best. Most people assume spring, but you have to wait for the Swallowtails to stop overwintering in the chrysalis. Dad saw one the other day, but you don't get them in large quantities until at least May. And then, you have to match up the butterfly with their host plant. Like right now you're more likely to see the White butterflies and the Red Admirals because their host plants are sprouting. But come May, their plants tend to dry up and so the butterflies tend to disappear, as well. Similarly, the Sleepy Orange butterfly doesn't get going until late summer because that's when the Partridge Pea (one of their favorite hosts) really starts growing and flowering. Of course, with all this climate change, things could be very different in a few years. And the type of winter we have definitely makes an impact on which butterflies we see and how soon in the year.
