Cornell Cooperative Extension

Tompkins County
hover fly on forget-me-not flower
Image by Anja Osenberg

Hover flies on a cluster of forget-me-nots

Adult gulf fritillary butterfly Agraulis vanillae (Linnaeus)
Image by Jerry A. Payne, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org

Adult gulf fritillary butterfly

Black swallowtail butterfly
Image by Daniel Herms, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org

Black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) is a common butterfly in our region.

Rare simultaneous photo of pre-emergent butterfly, chrysalis, pre-pupa, and final instar caterpillar of the black swallowtail
Image by Ansel Oommen, Bugwood-UGA

Life cycle of the Black Swallowtail: pre-emergent butterfly, chrysalis, pre-pupa, and caterpillar

Pollinators

A landscape made up simply of mowed lawn and a couple of trees won't provide the food and shelter that native bees and butterflies need to thrive and reproduce.   By making your landscape more complex, you can turn your yard and garden into a welcoming habitat that will benefit our native pollinators, and reward you many times over!

More to come...


Last updated July 1, 2024

Help with Home Gardens

Identifying Native Pollinators

The Butterflies & Moths of North America website lists common butterflies of New York State. The site provides photos of larvae and adults, describes their life cycle, and lists preferred habitat and food sources.

More coming soon!

Native Plant Lists

Coming soon!

Visit Cornell University's The Lost Ladybug Project online and learn how your photos can help scientists keep track of both new and native Ladybug species in your neighborhood.

Events

See more