Attracting Butterflies

Butterflies in Your Backyard

Besides certain plants, basking rocks and a source of water will be a must. Moist sand, earth or mud make great watering holes.

On the left is a photo taken by one of my friends, Pete Sorg. He came home from work, saw this monarch and went into the house and grabbed his digital camera. Guarantee you'll be doing the same thing once you get your plants blooming.

You should avoid using insecticides as butterflies are insects. You worked hard to attract them. Don't kill them off.

Planting a wide variety of plants that bloom from spring to fall will provide a source of nectar for the adult butterflies

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Remember, many of your plants will attract butterflies, but many adults prefer red, yellow, orange and purple flowers.

Place flat rocks throughout your garden in the sunny areas. This will provide a place for them to warm up in the morning before flying. The rocks will provide a basking site for butterflies to raise their body temperature. Butterflies are most active on warm, sunny days.

Provide bird baths or other shallow sources of water so the butterflies can drink.

Check to see what type are most prevalent in your area. Monarchs are found in almost all areas across the U.S., and are the most recognized. Adult Monarch butterflies eat nectar from flowers. Flower nectar consists of about 20% sugar, which gives the Monarchs energy. Flowers that have lots of nectar are, of course, what Monarchs prefer. But you'll see them land on all kinds of flowers to take a sip. 

The Monarchs butterflies find flowers by site, but they decide if its worth eating through taste receptors that are on their feet! They suck up the nectar through a long tube-like mouth. 

Provide the habitat components necessary for each of the four stages of the butterfly life-cycle to insure greater use by butterflies and a complete habitat; include host plants on which to lay eggs and chrysalises, caterpillar food resources, and nectar-producing flowers for adults. 

Some caterpillar host plants would be milkweed, thistle, clover, spicebush, goldenrod, butterfly weed, parsley, apple and passion flower. Butterflies frequent wildflowers as well as cultivated annuals and perennials. The three most important floral characteristics that attract butterflies to a flower are a good supply of nectar, a blossom with large petals so that the insect can perch while feeding, and flower color. Butterflies seem to investigate purple flowers first, the yellow, pink and finally white.

Experiment and see what works for you. As I suggest throughout this site, you're planting for yourself as well as for the birds, butterflies and wildlife. If you have a plant you like, plant it.