Would you like to have more butterflies visit your yard? If so, provide these four elements.
1. Food
Provide nectar plants for adults to sip on and host plants for their caterpillars to eat. Include different varieties, so there’s always something in bloom. When one variety stops, there should be another beginning to bloom. Choose varieties with flat-topped blooms or short flower tubes, which allow butterflies to reach the nectar with their proboscis (tongue). Butterflies have color vision and respond best to red, orange, purple, and yellow. The adults feed in the sun, so plant your garden where it will get at least half a day of direct sunlight. Native nectar plants for butterflies Native host plants for butterflies
Take care not to use insecticides on or near butterfly plants. Even “natural” products, such as Bt (Bacillus thuringiensi,s), will kill butterflies. Say “no” to pesticides
2. Water
Put out a shallow saucer of water or a birdbath with flat stones rising slightly above the water level for them to stand on.
3. Mud puddle
The adults of some species like mud, which provides water, as well as minerals they can’t get from nectar. It’s as easy as filling a large saucer with soil and keeping it moist. Mud puddles can be so popular you might see large gatherings there.
4. Basking spots
Adult butterflies are cold-blooded and need the sun to warm their bodies. Place reflective perches, such as large stones, in sunny places. You’ll see them basking with open wings to catch the sun’s rays. All about butterflies
