Attract Butterfiles

Plant type and color are important: Adult butterflies are attracted to red, yellow, orange, pink and purple blossoms that are flat-topped or clustered and have short flower tubes.  They seek nectar to fuel their transition from egg-layer to cocoon to caterpillar to butterfly again. 

A Painted Lady was attracted by the hyacinth's purplish color and short nectar tubes at Nicholas Conservatory.

Plant nectar sources in the sun.  Butterflies only feed in the sun.  Choose a place that receives mid-morning to mid-afternoon sun.  Or plant nectar-rich flowers in the vegetable garden.

Outlaw insecticides.  Ones like malathion, Sevin, and diazinon were created to kill all insects.  Don't use these chemicals in or near the butterfly garden or better, anywhere on your property. Even organic ones, such as BT (Bacillus thuringiensis), are lethal to butterflies during the caterpillar stage.

Plant nectar sources in the sun.  Butterflies only feed in the sun.  Choose a place that receives mid-morning to mid-afternoon sun.  Or plant nectar-rich flowers in the vegetable garden.

Outlaw insecticides.  Ones like malathion, Sevin, and diazinon were created to kill all insects.  Don't use these chemicals in or near the butterfly garden or better, anywhere on your property. Even organic ones, such as BT (Bacillus thuringiensis), are lethal to butterflies during the caterpillar stage.

My garden is pesticide-free and I let everyone know it is.  That's why I have hundreds of butterflies. 

Feed butterfly caterpillars. If you don't "grow" caterpillars, there will be no adults. Include caterpillar food in your garden.  Doing so can greatly increase your chances of attracting unusual and uncommon butterflies. Landscape trees like ash, black cherry and willow are good choices, as are apple trees and blueberry bushes.  Monarchs need milkweed, though.  Most butterfly caterpillars never cause the leaf damage associated with some moth caterpillars such as bagworms, tent caterpillars or gypsy moths.

Provide a place for rest.  Butterflies need sun for orientation and to warm their wings for flight. Place flat stones in your garden to supply space for butterflies to rest and soak up the sun.

Give them a place for puddling.  Butterflies often gather on wet sand and mud to "puddle," drinking water and extracting minerals from damp puddles.  Make a puddle with coarse sand in a shallow pan and place it in the soil of among the nectar-rich flowers. Make sure to keep the sand moist.

My garden is pesticide-free and I let everyone know it is.  That's why I have hundreds of butterflies. 

Feed butterfly caterpillars. If you don't "grow" caterpillars, there will be no adults. Include caterpillar food in your garden.  Doing so can greatly increase your chances of attracting unusual and uncommon butterflies. Landscape trees like ash, black cherry and willow are good choices, as are apple trees and blueberry bushes.  Monarchs need milkweed, though.  Most butterfly caterpillars never cause the leaf damage associated with some moth caterpillars such as bagworms, tent caterpillars or gypsy moths.

Provide a place for rest.  Butterflies need sun for orientation and to warm their wings for flight. Place flat stones in your garden to supply space for butterflies to rest and soak up the sun.

Give them a place for puddling.  Butterflies often gather on wet sand and mud to "puddle," drinking water and extracting minerals from damp puddles.  Make a puddle with coarse sand in a shallow pan and place it in the soil of among the nectar-rich flowers. Make sure to keep the sand moist.

These common garden plants will feed butterflies through all their life stages.

Aster

Bleeding heart

Buddleia (butterfly bush)

Bee balm

Butterfly weed (and other milkweeds)

Clover

Columbine

Coneflower

Delphinium

Honeysuckle

Lobelia

Penstemon

Phlox

Salvia

Weigela

Zinnia

Plant nectar sources in the sun.  Butterflies only feed in the sun.  Choose a place that receives mid-morning to mid-afternoon sun.  Or plant nectar-rich flowers in the vegetable garden.

Outlaw insecticides.  Ones like malathion, Sevin, and diazinon were created to kill all insects.  Don't use these chemicals in or near the butterfly garden or better, anywhere on your property. Even organic ones, such as BT (Bacillus thuringiensis), are lethal to butterflies during the caterpillar stage.

My garden is pesticide-free and I let everyone know it is.  That's why I have hundreds of butterflies. 

Feed butterfly caterpillars. If you don't "grow" caterpillars, there will be no adults. Include caterpillar food in your garden.  Doing so can greatly increase your chances of attracting unusual and uncommon butterflies. Landscape trees like ash, black cherry and willow are good choices, as are apple trees and blueberry bushes.  Monarchs need milkweed, though.  Most butterfly caterpillars never cause the leaf damage associated with some moth caterpillars such as bagworms, tent caterpillars or gypsy moths.

Provide a place for rest.  Butterflies need sun for orientation and to warm their wings for flight. Place flat stones in your garden to supply space for butterflies to rest and soak up the sun.

Give them a place for puddling.  Butterflies often gather on wet sand and mud to "puddle," drinking water and extracting minerals from damp puddles.  Make a puddle with coarse sand in a shallow pan and place it in the soil of among the nectar-rich flowers. Make sure to keep the sand moist.

Thanks to our friends at "The Old Farmers Almanac" for this great info. 

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