Appendix
How to Photograph Butterflies
Having enticed butterflies into your garden, you may now be interested in photographing them. After attempting once or twice, however, you may feel like giving up butterfly photography as being too frustrating. Butterflies just do not ordinarily stay still long enough to have their pictures taken.
Patience and persistence are the first and most basic requirements in good butterfly photography. Following are some tips that may help—even with first efforts. The information given here is for photographing in the field or garden, for it is here in the butterflies’ natural habitat that the most exciting opportunities for recording their natural behavioral activities and beauty are presented.
CAMERAS
The 35 mm camera is still the choice of a few photographers, but digital cameras are the overwhelming choice today. Many models are on the market, and the best method of choosing is to give serious thought to your aim or reason for photographing and what the photos will be used for. In the choosing, the camera body may not be as important as the lenses you purchase. For really spectacular shots of butterflies you will want close-ups, which will require a macro lens of some length. And for the serious photographer, a flash will be mandatory.
PRACTICE
After the camera and lens are purchased, one of the best things you can do to ensure good pictures of butterflies is to practice before ever going into the field or garden. Collect a dead butterfly from the grill of your car or from along the roadside. If a real butterfly cannot be found, cut a butterfly shape from stiff, colored paper or a picture from an old magazine. Either glue or wire it to a stick or dried flower, and start working with the camera, using your equipment in various situations. Do this with different sizes of butterflies, different colors, and with wings both open and closed. Working outside, place the butterfly against different backgrounds, such as tree bark, grasses, flowers, earth, and rocks. Constantly view your shots on the screen. Do this until you know instantly which lenses and settings give you the results you like under various conditions.
IN THE FIELD
Photographing active butterflies in the field requires some physical stamina and expertise. It also demands patience and the ability and agility to move slowly and to remain in odd, uncomfortable positions for several minutes at a time. Butterflies are endowed with a well-developed sense of self-preservation, and any sudden movement will send them fluttering out of range, so sneak up on the wary insects with all the stealth of a predator. Make all your movements with fluidity and slow deliberation in order not to betray your presence. This requires rigid self-discipline and concentration. Especially watch where you step (or crawl) when approaching a butterfly, for you may inadvertently move a branch of the plant the butterfly is resting on. Any movement of the resting or feeding place—or even of a branch of a nearby plant—that is faster than the present wind movement will usually cause the butterfly to take flight. Also, take care that your shadow does not fall across a basking or feeding butterfly, because this will either send it off in fright or at least cause it to close its wings.
Once you have slowly worked your way near the subject, and if it is close to the ground, ever so slowly sink down until one knee is on the ground and the other knee is bent toward your chin. The bent knee offers an excellent support or “flexible tripod.” You can either rest your arms on top of the knee or clasp the knee between the elbows, whichever puts the film plane parallel with the wings of the butterfly and helps in steadying the camera.
Now that you are at least in partial position, you must quickly decide on the portion of the butterfly’s body you want in focus along with its eyes. As the human eye is always drawn to a creature’s eyes in a photograph, concentrate first on getting the eyes of your butterfly in sharp focus. Then you can begin to move the camera a few millimeters one way or another to get the wings and body in focus. But do not take too long in moving the camera about. The more time you spend squinting through the viewfinder, the more your eyes will tire and become unable to focus properly, and your back and arm muscles will begin to tremble so that you can no longer hold the camera steady. It is far better to focus on the eyes, move the camera a time or two for maximum wing coverage, hold your breath, and gently press the shutter. If the butterfly does not fly away, then try for even better shots with more of the butterfly in focus.
Spending time watching the butterfly’s actions is often beneficial. Some species, such as the small Yellows, Blues, Hairstreaks, and some Skippers, take off when disturbed, fly back and forth or round and round, then return and alight in exactly the same spot as before. In some instances, do not move in pursuit but remain perfectly still, and chances are you will get the shot after all. There are some species that allow a fairly close approach, while others, once disturbed, take off never to be seen again. Ever. It is good to know something of the habits of each species in order to save time waiting for one not likely to return.
Within each species there are “personalities” that show exceptions to the general species behavior. With persistence (or luck), there will occasionally be a butterfly belonging to a group generally noted for their flightiness that will sit for a long period of time, letting you get shot after shot after shot. At such times you almost wish it would leave.
Using digital cameras, most people shoot in automatic focus, but when photographing butterflies, this is often too slow. One easy method is to quickly pick an object close by about the same size as the butterfly being stalked. Then focus the camera on the object to include approximately the amount of butter fly and background wanted in the photograph, add extension tubes if needed, then slowly approach the insect with everything preset. Some literature suggests that you start shooting when still far away from the insect, then continue to move forward, refocusing and shooting. In my opinion this is a terrible waste of time. Spend the time on slow movements getting closer to the subject. You will avoid moving your hands in constant refocusing, for one of the things you do not want to do when photographing butterflies is to move any more than absolutely necessary. This applies especially to your camera and hands, which are the closest things to the subject.
Also, before approaching a butterfly, note its general outline, always keeping in mind what you intend to do with your photo, and choose the desired format, whether vertical or horizontal. Since it is usually easier to hold a camera in the horizontal position, do not forget that some things lend themselves more satisfactorily to a vertical format—butterflies newly emerged with downward-hanging wings or at rest with wings closed, for example.
Background often helps decide the format. If the background is cluttered or distracting, then having more of the butterfly in the frame eliminates more of the background. In this case, use vertical format if the insect’s wings are closed, horizontal if the wings are spread.
Often the background can enhance the coloring of the butterfly, the shape of its wings, or some other detail. If the background happens to be grass or leaves, throw it out of focus for a wonderful textured and mottled effect. If the butterfly is on a flower and there are other flowers in the background, these can be thrown out of focus by using a smaller f-stop (opening the lens) and will become beautiful spots of blurred coloring with no distracting detail.
Since butterflies can see colors exceptionally well, the clothing you wear while photographing is extremely important. This is a time to see and not be seen, so bright clothing is best left for other occasions. Drab greens, browns, and khaki work best, thereby allowing you to blend in with the surroundings.
Your clothing should be loose fitting enough to allow for extra maneuverability, but nothing should remain loose, such as shirttails or unbuttoned sleeves, to flap about in the wind. Keep bandannas or photo equipment in pockets or bags and not loose to move or rattle. Hats are sometimes useful in helping shade and disrupt the face outline. They also help cut the glare from glasses and prevent sunburn and sunstroke. Avoid floppy brims, however, whose movement may scare the butterfly away. Knee pads, the type worn by athletes and that can be purchased at a sporting goods store, are most welcome when kneeling or crawling about on rocks or among stickers.
A small camera bag belted about the waist is very handy for carrying extension tubes, extra lenses, and CompactFlash (CF) cards. Keep a couple of small cotton cloths or bandannas in the bag for cleaning glasses and cameras—never the lens—and wiping a sweaty brow. It is often handy to have a small case that can be opened and closed quickly and easily and fitted with an assortment of small tools. Include a pair of small scissors for clipping twigs and grass blades, tweezers for removing debris, and an assortment of small artist’s brushes for removing spider webs, dust, and so on. These items are really appreciated when photographing eggs, larvae, and pupae.
EASTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL (Papilio glaucus)
Butterflies are easily spooked by anything bright or flashing. Leave at home all shiny jewelry such as watches, rings, or dangling earrings. It is worth the extra time to cover the silver-colored metal parts of your camera and flash with electrician’s tape. This can be removed easily after a photo session, if desired. If purchasing a new camera, consider a black model, though it will be slightly more expensive. If you have an off-flash and the bracket is of shiny metal, paint it matte black. Everything you can possibly do to eliminate brightness, flashing, and movement is that much more to your advantage.
Do not leave the lens cap dangling from the lens. If you usually use this type of cap, remove it completely before venturing forth in pursuit of butterflies, or pursue is all you are likely to do. Use a regular, unattached cap for this work, easing it into your pocket after removal from the lens.
Whatever you do, do not spray yourself with insect repellent before heading out to photograph butterflies. Butterflies are insects, so they are very sensitive to the smell of repellent. One whiff of Deepwoods Off, and the butterflies will head for unpolluted areas, not to be seen again while you are around.
One of the best times of day for photographing butterflies is early in the morning. At this time they are very hungry and allow a closer approach while nectaring. It is also the time when they are more likely to be basking. In the spring and fall months, especially, they spend much time in the cool mornings with wings spread wide, bringing their body temperature up to optimal operating levels. Late afternoons are also excellent during the summer, for then they have a tendency to “cool down,” their feeding motions becoming much slower. It is at such times you can get the easiest and most spectacular shots.
For the best color rendition, choose early morning, late afternoon, or brightly overcast days for your butterfly photography. During these periods the light is much softer and the shadows are less harsh or nonexistent.
GARDENING TIPS FOR EASIER BUTTERFLY PHOTOGRAPHY
If photos are one of the objectives when planting a garden to attract butterflies, then remember when laying out the flower beds to leave a walk space around some of the insects’ favorite plants. This walk space could be bare ground, native grasses, or leaf litter. These give plenty of room for moving with the butterfly and a background that appears natural if included in the photo. A walkway of brick, gravel, or hay offers a convenient kneeling place on damp or dewy mornings without getting your clothes wet or dirty. On the other hand, bricks and gravel can be unappealing in a photo if you are trying for the pure, naturalistic approach for your photos.
In border plantings there are advantages to three different types of arrangements:
1. Plants spaced close together in a narrow border, giving a lot of flowers and good opportunities for photos by walking in front of the border. Long portions of the border should be composed of all the same species and color of flowers so that the background in the photo is not a clash of colors or shapes. This, of course, is how the butterflies also like the plants to be.
2. Narrow borders in an open lawn space, preferably running north and south, which provide space to walk on both sides and with the east side receiving morning sun and the west side the afternoon sun. This eliminates some of the problems with deep shadows.
3. Plants spaced widely apart in a border or bed, leaving stepping space between in order to maneuver between the plants without demolishing the adjacent plants and the chance for future photos.
Keep the area around the butterflies’ best-liked plants free of garden litter or unsightly debris. There is nothing more frustrating than to see a perfect butterfly specimen with wings calmly stretched out in the sun, only to find when you look through the viewfinder that a water hose, plastic plant container, or plant markers are causing ugly and distracting blobs in the background.
If photographing is done mostly in early morning, make it a habit to patrol the beds the evening before, removing spent flowers, seedpods, dead leaves, unsightly grass clumps, and so on. At this time, view every flower as a potential shot with a butterfly perched on it and clean up the area accordingly.
Before starting your photo session, place a few branches of greenery to hide such things as piles of fermenting fruit. Also, use the f-stop, controlling the depth of field to throw the background out of focus if an object cannot be moved, covered up, or otherwise eliminated.
If you have a new garden with small perennials, then plant tall annuals, such as Mexican Sunflower, or hollyhocks, sunflowers, cosmos, dill, or fennel, behind them for an attractive background.
Consider wooden fences in your garden. They are more attractive in general than wire and provide a more natural background. If you have wire fences, try covering them by planting with perennial or annual vines that grow well in your area. Or again, plant in the staggered-height method, tall plants at the back and lower-growing plants in front. Inexpensive reed fencing can be attached to an existing wire fence, making an excellent natural-colored background. Any vines allowed to grow on the reed fence should be of the annual sort, however, as the reed does not usually last but two to five years.
If there is no way to keep a wire fence out of an otherwise perfectly wonderful shot, then choose an angle where the sun does not reflect off the wire, select a small f-stop for a shallow depth of field, and throw the wire out of focus. Check the depth-of-field button often to be sure when the wire becomes acceptably blurred.
If there is a particular plant or group of plants in the border, such as Flame Acanthus, Mexican Sunflower, or various lantanas, mist-flowers, and verbenas, it is possible to set up a blind and wait for butterflies to come to you. While this lets you rest more comfortably, it greatly restricts the butterfly poses obtainable. The ability to move around, get the wings of the butterfly in a flatter plane, or move for better lighting is greatly reduced from a blind. However, you can achieve more shots from the blind because you are concealed and will not frighten the insects.
If larval food plants are included in the garden plantings, photos of the entire life cycle, from egg to adult can be taken. Chrysalides can be closely watched, and photos of the emerging adult butterfly can be taken. After emerging, the butterfly remains clinging to the chrysalis case or a nearby leaf or branch for quite some time, resting and letting its wings become completely dry. During this period, excellent photos may be obtained of the perfect specimen if the surface it rests on is not moved, causing the butterfly to take flight. Close and frequent observations of the garden can sometimes net some unusual or especially interesting shots not usually obtainable on ordinary, casual walks or hikes. To capture permanently such fleeting beauty will probably become quite addictive.
SOURCES FOR SPECIAL PHOTO EQUIPMENT
Blacklock Photo Equipment, Inc.
P.O. Box 560
Moose Lake, MI 55767
Leonard Rue Enterprises, Inc.
138 Millbrook Road
Hardwick, NJ 07825
Lepp and Associates
P.O. Box 6240
Los Osos, CA 93412
Really Right Stuff
SOURCES FOR INFORMATION
NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY PUBLICATIONS
Nature Photographer
P.O. Box 220
Lubec, ME 04652
(This is the best magazine for nature photography and has helpful articles on becoming a better photographer.)
Outdoor Photographer
Werner Publishing Company
12121 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1200
Los Angeles, CA 90025-1176
(This is an excellent magazine on nature photography and frequently has articles on photographing insects, including butterflies.)
ZEBRA SWALLOWTAIL (Eurytides marcellus) WITH A BROKEN TAIL
Seed and Plant Sources
For sources in the state, start by visiting all local nurseries, local plant sales, and seed exchanges. If more information or sources are needed, and for a complete listing of nurseries throughout the state, refer to the excellent guide by Nan Booth Simpson and Patricia Scott McHargue, The Texas Garden Resource Book—a Guide to Garden Resources across the State (Houston: Bright Sky Press, 2009). A good source of information is the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (4801 La Crosse Avenue, Austin, TX 78739; telephone 512-232-0100; www.wildflower.org). Seeds of Texas exchanges seeds only and charges a $20 annual membership fee, which includes publications (P.O. Box 9882, College Station, TX 77842).
Some of the following out-of-state nurseries offer mail-order sales, but others do not, so contact them for information first. Companies who advertise that they collect plants from the wild are not listed here.
Dry Country Plants
Las Cruces, NM 88001
Goodness Grows, Inc.
332 Elberton Road
P.O. Box 311
Lexington, GA 30648–0311
Mail Order Natives
P.O. Box 9366
Lee, FL 32059
Native Seeds/Search
3061 N. Campbell Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85719
Natural Gardens
607 Barbrow Land
Knoxville, TN 33932
Niche Gardens
1111 Dawson Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Oak Hill Farm
204 Pressley Street
Clover, SC 29710
www.lgyp.com/brochure.asp?c=411762
Park Seed Company
1 Parkdon Avenue
Greenwood, SC 29647
Passiflora Wildflower Co.
Route 1, Box 190-A
Germantown, NC 27019
919-591-5816
Plant Delights Nursery, Inc.
9241 Sauls Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27603-9326
Plants of the Southwest
3095 Agua Fria Street
Santa Fe, NM 87507
Prairie Basse Native Plants
217 St. Fidelis Street
Carencro, LA 70520
337-896-9187
Seeds of Change
621 Old Santa Fe Trail #10
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Southwestern Native Seeds
Box 50503
Tucson, AZ 85703
Sunlight Gardens
174 Golden Lane
Andersonville, TN 37705
Thompson & Morgan
P. O. Box 1308
Jackson, NJ 08527
W. Atlee Burpee & Co.
300 Park Avenue
Warminster, PA 18974
Wayside Gardens
1 Garden Lane
Hodges, SC 29695
Woodlanders, Inc.
1128 Colleton Avenue
Aiken, SC 29801-4728
(offers yellow-flowered Asclepias)
Butterfly Organizations, Societies, and Publications
American Entomological Society
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103-1101
http://rex.ansp.org/hosted/aes/
Butterfly Lovers International
268 Bush Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
415-864-1169
Entomological Society of America
10001 Derekwood Lane #100
Lanham, MD 20706-4876
(publishes several periodicals, including Annals of the Entomological Society of America, Journal of Economic Entomology, Environmental Entomology, American Entomologist, and Common Names of Insects and Related Organisms)
The Entomological Society of Canada
393 Winston Avenue
Ottawa, ON K2A 1Y8, Canada
(publishes The Canadian Entomologist and Memoirs of the Canadian Entomological Society of Canada)
The Lepidoptera Research Foundation, Inc.
c/o Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
2559 Puesta del Sol Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
www.lepidopteraresearchfoundation.org/(publishes Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera)
The Lepidopterists’ Society
c/o Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90007-4057
(publishes The Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society and The News of the Lepidopterists’ Society)
National Garden Clubs, Inc.
Preservation of Butterflies
4401 Magnolia Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110-3492
(a special committee on the conservation, preservation, and attracting of butterflies)
North American Butterfly Association
4 Delaware Road
Morristown, NJ 07960
(publishes American Butterflies and Butterfly Gardener and coordinates information from yearly July butterfly counts)
Southern Lepidopterists’ Society
c/o Marc Minno
600 NW 34 Terrace
Gainesville, FL 32607
(publishes Southern Lepidopterists’ News)
Texas Organization for Endangered Species
P.O. Box 12773
Austin, TX 78711-2773
The Western Monarch Migration Project
Oregon Department of Agriculture
635 Capital Street NE
Salem, OR 97310-0110
503-986-4663
The Xerces Society
628 NE Broadway, Suite 200
Portland, OR 97232
(publishes the newsletter Wings)
Young Entomologists’ Society
c/o Department of Entomology
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1115
(publishes Y. E. S. Quarterly)
Plant Organizations, Societies, and Publications
TEXAS
Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
9601 Fossil Ridge Road
Fort Worth, TX 76135
Native Plant Project
P.O. Box 2742
San Juan, TX 78589
(publishes Sabal, a monthly newsletter)
Native Plant Society of New Mexico, El Paso Chapter
P.O. Box 221036
El Paso, TX 79913
Native Plant Society of Texas
320 West San Antonio Street
Fredericksburg, TX 78624-3727
(publishes NPSOT News quarterly)
Native Prairies Association of Texas
2002-A Guadalupe Street PMB 290
Austin, TX 78705-5609
Outdoor Nature Club
P.O. Box 270894
Houston, TX 77277-0894
(publishes the newsletter Nature Notes; owns Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary; sponsors many field trips throughout Texas)
South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center
8545 S. Staples
Corpus Christi, TX 78413
Texas Garden Clubs, Inc.
3111 Botanic Garden Road
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Texas Master Gardener
http://mastergardener.tamu.edu/
Texas Master Gardeners Association
SOUTHERN DOGFACE (Zerene cesonia)
OUTSIDE TEXAS
Arkansas Native Plant Society
c/o Department of Forest Resources
University of Arkansas at Monticello
P.O. Box 3468
Monticello, AR 71655
Kansas Native Plant Society
McGregor Herbarium
2045 Constant Avenue
Lawrence, KS 66047-3729
www.kansasnativeplantsociety.org
WHITE PEACOCK (Anartia jatrophae luteipicta)
Louisiana Native Plant Society
216 Caroline Dormon Road
Saline, LA71070
(publishes Newsletter)
National Garden Clubs
4401 Magnolia Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
Oklahoma Native Plant Society
2435 South Peoria Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74114
Places of Interest
Antique Rose Emporium
9300 Luechemeyer Road
Brenham, TX 77833-6453
Antique Rose Emporium
7561 East Evans Road
San Antonio, TX 78266
www.antiqueroseemporium.com/san-antonio-display-gardens
Armand Bayou Nature Center
8500 Bay Area Boulevard
Pasadena, TX 77507
Brierwood Caroline Dormon Nature Preserve
216 Caroline Dormon Road
Saline, LA 71070
318-576-3379
Butterfly World
Tradewinds Park South
3600 West Sample Road
Coconut Creek, FL 33066
Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center & Botanical Gardens
43869 SH 118
Fort Davis, TX 79734
Cibolo Nature Center
Hwy 46
Boerne, TX 78006
Day Butterfly Center
Callaway Gardens
Pine Mountain, GA 31822
Houston Arboretum and Nature Center
4501 Woodway Drive
Houston, TX 77024
Houston Museum of Natural Science
One Hermann Circle Drive
Houston, TX 77030
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
4801 La Crosse Avenue
Austin, TX 78739-1702
Louisiana Nature and Science Center
Joe W. Brown Memorial Park
11000 Lake Forest Boulevard
New Orleans, LA 70127
LSU Hilltop Arboretum
11855 Highland Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens
22306 Aldine Westfield Road
Humble, TX 77338-1071
Mizell Farms, Inc.
83211 Highway 25
P.O. Box 484
Folsom, LA 70437
(Annual Butterfly Extravaganza)
Moody Gardens
One Hope Boulevard
Galveston, TX 77554
National Butterfly Center
3333 Butterfly Park Drive
Mission, TX 78572
http://nationalbutterflycenter.org/
North American Butterfly Park
3333 Butterfly Park Dr.
Mission, TX 78572
San Antonio Botanical Garden
555 Funston Place
San Antonio, TX 78209-6635
Texas Discovery Gardens
3601 Martin Luther King Boulevard
Dallas, TX 75210
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve
805 N. Capitol of Texas Hwy
Austin, TX 78746
Zilker Botanical Gardens
2100 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78746
www.austintexas.gov/department/zilker-metropolitan-park
(includes Doug Blachly Butterfly Trail)
Gardening Magazines and Newsletters
Birds & Blooms
5925 Country Lane
Greendale, WI 53129
Fine Gardening
The Taunton Press
Box 355
63 South Main Street
Newton, CT 06470
Flower and Garden Magazine
4251 Pennsylvania Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64111
Garden Design
2 Park Avenue, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Gardens & More
P.O. Box 864
McKinney, TX 75069
972-238-6474
Growing from Seed
Thompson & Morgan
P.O. Box 1308
Jackson, NJ 08527
Horticulture
P.O. Box 53880
Boulder, CO 80321-3880
Neil Sperry’s Gardens Magazine
P.O. Box 864
McKinney, TX 75070
Rodale’s Organic Gardening
Emmaus, PA 18099-0003
Southern Living
P.O. Box 523
Birmingham, AL 35201
www.southernliving.com/magazine/
Texas Gardener
P.O. Box 9005
Waco, TX 76714
Wildflower
4801 La Crosse Avenue
Austin, TX 78739
(publication of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center)
Gardening Supplies
CobraHead LLC
P.O. Box 519
Cambridge, WI 53523
Gardener’s Marketplace
Story Communications, Inc.
Schoolhouse Road
Pownal, VT 95261
Gardener’s Supply Company
128 Intervale Road
Burlington, VT 05401
Garden-Ville
4001 Ranch Road 620 South
Austin, TX 78738
(organic gardening supplies)
Natural Gardening Research Center
Hwy 48
P.O. Box 149
Sunman, IN 47041
(information and supplies for biological control of insects)
Park Seed
P.O. Box 46
Cokesbury Road
Greenwood, SC 29648-0046
Smith & Hawken
1330 10th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
Wayside Gardens
Hodges, SC 29695-0001
Habitat Preservation
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
One Nature Place
McKinney, TX 75069-8840
Native Prairies Association of Texas
The Program Committee
Texas Woman’s University
P.O. Box 22675
Denton, TX 76204
Texas Conservation Alliance
Suite 3B
5518 Dyer
Dallas, TX 75206
Texas Land Conservancy
P.O. Box 162481
Austin, TX 78716
Texas Natural Heritage Program
General Land Office
Stephen F. Austin Building
1700 Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78767
The Nature Conservancy of Texs
503 B East Sixth Street
Austin, TX 78701
Further Information
Kika de la Garza Plant Materials Center, NRCS
3409 N FM 1355
Kingsville, TX 78363
www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/pmc/kingsville.html
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
4801 La Crosse Avenue
Austin, TX 78739-1702
Louisiana Project Wildflower
Lafayette Natural History Museum
637 Girard Park Drive
Lafayette, LA 70504
The National Xeriscape Council, Inc.
940 East Fifty-first Street
Austin, TX 78751-2241
512-454-8626
Native Plant Project
P.O. Box 2742
San Juan, TX 78589
Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA
(click on Find a Service Center for the county offices)
The Nature Conservancy
1815 North Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209
NatureServe
Rodale’s Organic Gardening
Resources for Organic Pest Control
Rodale Press, Inc.
Emmaus, PA 18049
(an important publication containing sources for natural pest control supplies, pest control guidelines, and so on)
Soil and Water Conservation Society
945 SW Ankeny Road
Ankeny, IA 50023
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M University System
http://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/
(AgriLife Extension county offices directory at http://counties.agrilife.org/)
Texas Association of Nurserymen, Inc.
512 East Riverside Drive, Suite 207
Austin, TX 78704
Texas Botanical Garden Society
P.O. Box 5642
Austin, TX 78763
Texas Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 12847
Austin, TX 78711
(Texas Native Plant Directory, an important source for nursery plants)
Texas Department of Transportation
Landscape Division
Eleventh and Brazos
Austin, TX 78701
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Texas Wildflower Hotline
Texas Department of Highways
800-452-929
(information for best wildflower viewing)
US Government Printing Office
Superintendent of Documents
710 North Capitol Street
Washington, DC 20402
Ask for these free government pamphlets:
PL National Parks
PL 41 Insects
PL 43 Forestry
PL 44 Plants
PL 46 Soils and Fertilizers
PL 88 Ecology
Home Garden Brochure
