The basics and beyond of butterfly garden from Eden of Wings Nursery, FL
A garden full of plants is a reliable food source for many butterflies and a great way to get started creating a habitat for them. But some of these winged wonders feed on less appealing fare: rotten fruit, tree sap, carrion, dung or mud. Whatever they eat, here are some things you can do that will turn your yard into a butterfly haven.
Keep it Quit: For delicate creatures like butterflies, a place out of the wind is not is not only helpful but essential. It's hard to land on a flower for lunch when you're being batted by a stiff breeze. A row of trees or shrubs, a fence or building can all slow or block wind, making it easier for butterflies to explore.Using trees and shrubs as a windbreak has added benefits. Many play host to caterpillars and give adult butterflies shelter on a rainy days and hiding places from predators among the branches.
Added Nutrition: Even nectar sipping butterflies like a serving of spoiled fruit now and then. Bananas are a very popular choice! especially if they've been frozen first. As it thaws the fruit break down and has a liquid consistency butterflies like. There are a lot of different recipes for feeding butterflies. You'll find a few of them in "Butterflies buffet" below. Because of their liquid diet, all types of butterflies seek additional nutrients often found in moist sand or mud. Help them out by setting aside an open area in the sun with a few inches of sand. Keep it moist but not wet and you may notice groups of butterflies gathering. This is called "puddling" Most of the time male gather in these space spots seeking the added minerals essential to them for mating, but females will gather sometimes, too.
Butterfly Buffet
Rotting fruit parfait:
3/4 cup stale beer
2 Tbsp. blackstrap molasses
1 frozen banana
Mix together and place on a plastic or glass plate. Replace it weekly or more often if it's hot.
Butterfly energy drink:
20 oz. sports drink, any flavor
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. regular soy sauce
Mix the sports drink and sugar together in a pan, bring it to a boil and remove the pan from the heat. After it cools, add to soy sauce. Pour onto a sponge that sits in a dish for butterflies to feed from. Sore any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
A butterfly-friendly backyard doesn't have to be huge or elaborate. Even if you can only do a few of these things, the neighborhood butterflies will be happy you did.