Even if you rent or live in an apartment, you can make your outdoors more butterfly friendly without changing your landscaping!
 

• Don't use pesticides/herbicides!

Butterflies are very sensitive to toxic chemicals, even those that drift over from nearby areas. Many butterflies also feed on the flowering "weeds" that often grow in lawns, such as clover.

monarchjointventure.org/monarch-biology/threats/pesticides

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• Mow less frequently, & leave grasses taller when you do mow

Flowers from the "weeds" in your lawn get cut off by mowing, removing a vital food source for butterflies. Some caterpillars feed on grasses, and the higher you cut, the more likely they are to survive the mowing.
www.butterfly-ridge.com/butterfly-basics/2018/10/17/to-mow-or-not-to-mow

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• Don't bag, burn, or chop fallen leaves

Many butterflies don't migrate, but instead stay where they are and overwinter as pupa or adults. To survive the cold temperatures, they often hide in fallen leaves or rely on the layer of leaves to insulate the soil. Leave the leaves! xerces.org/blog/leave-the-leaves

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• Leave outdoor lights off at night

Artificial light at night messes with the internal clocks of monarchs and disrupts their navigational abilities. It also interferes with the normal behaviors of many moths, including the gorgeous luna moth!
www.uc.edu/news/articles/2022/05/lights-can-interfere-with-monarch-butterflys-navigation-abilities.html