Baltimore Opera Company

Study Guide

Madama Butterfly

Butterflies

Butterflies are among the most magical and ephemeral creatures in nature and in our gardens. It is no wonder that the creator of the Madama Butterfly story, John Luther Long, used such a name to describe the lovely, fragile Cio-Cio-San. In a very prescient phrase during the Act 1 love duet, Madama Butterfly tells Pinkerton that she has heard that, across the ocean, in his homeland, people chase butterflies with nets, catch them, and put pins through their bodies. Pinkerton jocularly responds that people do that so that the beautiful butterfly will never get away. Unfortunately, the lovely Madama Butterfly is handed a fate quite similar to her smaller cousin—she is caught in a net of infidelity and the pin through her body destroys her heart.

Most of us have been delighted by butterflies ever since we were children and many of us are creating garden spots where butterflies will flourish. Growing a butterfly garden is easy and it is also an excellent project to introduce a child or you to the joys of gardening and the wonders of wildlife.

There are over 700 species of butterflies in North America. Because few of them are agricultural pests we can safely welcome butterflies to our gardens. Butterflies may live as individuals only 20 to 40 days but in order to promote their stay in your garden it is necessary to keep some basic facts of life in mind.

Just as any other species in the universe, butterflies must eat and drink and find a place to rest. They need a place to lay their eggs and some food plants for their young (caterpillars). Butterfly gardens should be placed in full sun but in a sheltered location. A rock patch or wall will provide a place where they can warm their wings. A small mud hole is necessary to adult male butterflies to obtain salts and minerals that are necessary in their diets, so always have an open area of soil in your garden and keep this as wet as possible. A butterfly home will be a nice touch to let everyone know you love those winged creatures enough to even provide sleeping accommodations for them. Butterflies have a keen sense of sight and smell, and they use these senses to find their food plants. The best flowers to attract butterflies are colorful and fragrant, flat-topped (daisy-like) or clustered (like lantanas). Other favorites have short flower tubes that allow easy access to nectar. It is important to plant large blocks of the same type of plants together, i.e., plant two dozen of one type rather than a few plants of many different species. Old-fashioned varieties are more appealing because their nectar is tastier.

Butterflies are drawn especially to the colors red, yellow, orange, pink or purple;. Some of the flowers they are fond of are impatiens, marigolds, coneflowers, salvias, bee balm, sweet William, daylilies, black-eyed Susans, zinnias, lavender, cosmos, phloxes, lantanas, butterfly weed and butterfly bush, goldenrod, aster, Mexican sunflower, parsley, fennel and other herbs. It is important to provide flowering plants throughout the growing season to there is plenty of food at all times. Never, ever use herbicides or pesticides in your garden.

A garden fit for butterflies will be delightful for you also. The best spot to linger and relax in your own backyard will be the one where you will be surrounded by the wings we all love.

Jane Baldwin

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