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I was reading about sweet fern, and it says "Wind-pollinated shrub that doesn’t attract bees or butterflies, but it is an extremely popular host plant for a wide variety of caterpillars: geometer moths, miner moths, dagger moths, underwings, saturniid, hawk and sphinx moths. Horticultural source.".

What does this mean to someone who doesn't have much knowledge about plants? Do I want this in the middle of my garden, or a little ways away (i.e. 200 feet away in the middle of the butterfly garden)?

black thumb
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    Interesting. I would think caterpillars will go on the plant and not on my vegetable garden (OTOH if there are too many, they will invade the vegetable garden). So I think an answer need some more context. I'm sure than some perma-culturist will know the answer. – Giacomo Catenazzi Mar 25 '19 at 08:32
  • This is Ecology 101. If you have moth caterpillars, you will also have moths, creatures that eat caterpillars, creatures that eat moths, creatures that eat creatures that eat caterpillars, etc, etc. You will also have fewer *other* creatures (and plants) eaten by all of the above, assuming they don't live on a diet of 100% moth caterpillars. – alephzero Mar 25 '19 at 09:57
  • I have MANY!!!! frogs, and toads in the area, so what you're saying is essentially the plant will be a magnet for them to stay near by? – black thumb Mar 25 '19 at 19:35

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