A friend is working on the yard of her new Houston home, and wants butterflies, but not bees. She's terribly allergic to beestings.

Any suggestions?

I honestly don't know. Butterflies like nectar from flowering plants and almost all flowering plants also attract bees. Maybe if she could put a butterfly garden where she could watch it from the windows while inside, it might work out. But I don't know...she'd have to come outside sometime. I've lived in my place since 1989 with flowering plants and I've never been stung by bees once. Yellowjackets (wasps), have stung me on rare occasion, but only if they have a nest nearby.

I agree with Linda. I don't think I have been stung by a bee since I was about four years old. You practically have to injure a honey bee to be stung. Wasps, however, are more aggressive and sting me often. All you need to do to them is to be too close to their nests. I suggest your friend plant whatever attracts butterflies and not worry about the bees that come with them.

I assume she keeps an EpiPen around, like I do.

Yes, that's nice until one beesting could kill you.

I'm not allergic to bee stings, but there is something else I've had severe reactions to on rare occasions.