Butterflies

Attracting Butterflies to your Yard

While watching birds at the feeders we may see many other creatures that take up residence or even pass through.  One of the most enchanting creatures you may see is the butterfly.  Creating a butterfly friendly environment will make it easier for you to observe and enjoy this delicate creature.

Subsisting mainly on nectar, butterflies seem to prefer flowers of red, orange, yellow and blue.  Milkweeds, zinnias, daisies, mimosa and butterfly bush are favorites.  Rotten fruit and oozing tree sap are also poplar with butterflies.

Butterflies need moisture to survive, so puddles and muddy ground are important to them.

Certain plants may also act as hosts for butterfly larvae (caterpillars).  Egg-laying females select plants that will provide the preferred food for their larvae.

While most butterflies choose deciduous trees such as willow, elm, poplar, cherry and birch, others choose smaller plants with nutritious leaves.

For Example:

Monarch butterflies - milkweed

Swallowtail butterflies - parsley or dill

Fritillaries - violets

Anglewings (question Marks , Commas etc.) - Hops, nettle and currents

Spring Azure - Dogwoods & Blueberries

When eggs hatch, the food of choice is right there for the larvae to eat.  After growing, the larvae then enter the chrysalis stage attached to a plant or tree.  The growth cycle is finished when the adult emerges.

Adult butterflies have no means of attack, but do fly away or hide when threatened.

Protective coloration may be their only means of defense.  Some butterflies are toxic to birds and other predators.

*  Monarch butterflies are avoided by many predators because of their terrible taste.  It is because the larval diet of milkweed leaves toxins in their botdies that make them poisonous.

Butterfly Houses

Just like birds, butterflies need shelter from inclement weather and some even winter over using butterfly houses.  I put mine amongst my  flowers or butterfly bushes.  They should have  hinged door allows you to position sticks, bark or other natural materials inside for additional clinging surfaces.

How to Make Your Own Butterfly Feeder

1.   Shallow Pan (One that won't rust)

2.  Place a small sponge in the middle of the pan and put a sand /  gravel mixture all around it.

3.  Next, put some maple syrup on the gravel and a shot of stale beer.

4.  Add hummingbird nectar (four parts water, one part sugar - see recipe) over the mixture until is even with the gravel mixture.

If this sounds weird to you - here is the rational:

The syrup simulates tree sap and the hummingbird nectar and beer provide the needed calories and minerals for the butterflies.

You can add a little something specials for the butterflies by topping it off with a little rotten fruit!

Or you can get already made butterfly feeders:

     Butterfly Feeder

  Ruffles Butterfly Feeder Set of 12

 Butterfly Beacon