“Sugar, sugar . . . honey, honey . . . .”
-- Sugar-rich nectar for maximum butterfly attraction
Published October 10, 2026, in the McAllen Monitor
Story and photos by Anita Westervelt
Fall blooming mistflower is acclaimed as the best fall nectar plant in all of South Texas. The purple blooms reign supreme with the richest nectar source that attracts the most butterflies during the autumn influx of the colorful flutterers, during their annual show in the Rio Grande Valley.
The blooms produce an abundance of high-energy nectar that is especially important during fall when other food sources begin fading. Naturalists and other observers have often counted upwards of 20 different species of butterflies visiting a fall blooming mistflower shrub in a single afternoon.
Also called crucita, Siam weed and blue mistflower, its scientific name is Chromolaena odorata. It is a tropical and subtropical plant native from south Texas through Mexico and as far south as northern Argentina.
Nectar isn’t created equal. Different species of plants provide different concentrations of nectar. Climate, temperature, humidity and time of day may change how much nectar a flower secretes and how concentrated the sugars become. Flowers of most species of plants replenish nectar through the life of each bloom.
On a scale of one to four, nectar for many of our native flowers has been ranked from poor, fair, good to excellent. Which is why you may have a butterfly garden with several different blooming species and butterflies congregate on only one or two plants, ignoring the others. It may be the richness of the nectar. For a list of native plants and their nectar ratings, visit: https://www.texasento.net/RGV_Host_List.pdf
Monarch butterflies begin travelling through deep South Texas and along the coastal flyway during their southward fall migration in late September; by October, throngs of the orange beauties fly through.
The high-octane sugar content of our local fall blooming mistflower is especially important to monarch and queen butterflies. It provides them with energy for their southward migration journey into Mexico.
Most butterfly species do not migrate large distances. With the right environmental conditions, like those in our thorn scrub habitat, butterflies fly all year because of our continual cycles of blooming native plants.
Native butterfly attracting plants that have excellent nectar ratings and bloom nearly all year include, wild Mexican olive or anacahuita, Cordia boissieri; Turk’s cap, Malvaviscus drummondii; Texas lantana, Lantana urticoides; scorpion tail, Heliotropium angiospermum; and frogfruit, a groundcover, Phyla strigulosa.
Late summer and fall blooming butterfly-attracting plants with nectar rated excellent are Mexican winged crown-beard, also called frostweed, Verbesina microptera; and goldenrods, Solidago species.
At night, butterflies seek shelter in dense shrubs and the undersides of leaves; they roost with their wings closed over their head, showing duller camouflage patterns to hide from predators. Some species, like American snouts will huddle in groups, especially in honey mesquite trees.
Dense shrubby plants, like mistflowers and the others listed above provide nighttime sheltering for insects as well as draw butterflies and other insects and pollinators to their flowers to feed.
A list of Valley native plant growers and nurseries that offer native plants is at this link:
https://www.stbctmn.org/post/valley-native-plant-growers-nurseries. Call for opening times, locations and plant availability.
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Side Bar:
October brings butterflies
-- and an annual citizen scientist pollinator bioblitz
Story and photo by Anita Westervelt
October in the Rio Grande Valley is known for its influx of colorful butterflies. It’s also the time of year to help the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with their annual Texas Pollinator Bioblitz.
A citizen scientist opportunity, the annual event is free and open to anyone, any age. This year’s dates are October 16 – November 1. For more information, visit: https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/bioblitz
Bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, hummingbirds, nectar-feeding bats and other animals serve as pollinators. The bioblitz includes observing pollinators and the plants upon which they depend. The above link has information about pollinators, options for uploading photographs, photography tips and how to register.
Why register? Who doesn’t like a fun challenge? Registering to participate carries no obligation but will get you on an e-mail list that will provide daily challenges during the event.
Spend time outdoors, study plants that are blooming during the bioblitz dates and photograph butterflies and other insects on the plants or blooms. Many participants upload photos using the free iNaturalist.org phone app or online at www.iNaturalist.org.
You do not need to be an expert. Upload photos and let the database identify the observation. Observations can be from around your residence and neighborhood or local city, county, state and federal parks and the countryside. Check with your favorite parks for special events offered during the bioblitz.
Look for colorful blooms, approach with stealth and camera ready in case a pollinator is visiting the flower. Quick moves cause pollinators to flee.
During the 2025 Texas Pollinator Bioblitz, 115,780 observations were recorded on the iNaturalist.org database (17,298 more observations than the previous year of 98,482); 5,046 unique species (up by 276 species from the 4,770 recorded in 2025); 8,525 individuals, 805 more than the previous year where 7,720 participated in the event throughout Texas.
For a gallery of interesting Texas pollinators and the plants they use, check out the observations from the 2025 Texas Pollinator Bioblitz at this link: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?project_id=249001&ttl=900&place_id=any&verifiable=any&view=species
To sign up and join the bioblitz in an iNaturalist.org account, sign in and join the 2026 Texas Pollinator Bioblitz at iNaturalist.org at this link: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/2026-texas-pollinator-bioblitz.
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