There is some mystery in the visit of butterflies to the garden as one of the most beautiful creations of nature. Beyond the pleasure of watching these different colorful butterflies flutter from flower to flower in the pursuit of nectar, such beauties of winged insects play a great role in pollination.
In recent years, the habitat of butterflies has significantly become reduced due to property development where large portions of farmlands occupy a huge stretch of land, thus the populations are becoming fewer. Many households offer these valuable insects some sort of a habitat as they make a butterfly paradise. Read along to some tips in making a proper butterfly garden.
7 STEPS TO A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY GARDEN
An amiable environment will attract butterflies to stay long enough to locate a place to lay their eggs for the next generation. With shelter, water, and food in the form of butterfly-friendly plants, the butterflies are likely to live and reproduce more effectively.
- Plan. Decide on which species you want to attract and can expect in your area. Make a list of what plants support those particular butterflies. Select a suitable spot in your yard and roughly sketch what will be placed there that contains the minimum components necessary for butterflies to survive.
- Feed them. Adult butterflies drink liquids only. They use a long tubular tongue that uncoils to reach the liquid. They drink flower nectar, tree sap, pollen, fallen fruit, and animal dung. Butterfly caterpillars have chewing mouthparts and eat leafy food plants such as milkweed foliage, parsley, and fennel. Do this DIY butterfly feeder project with the kids.
- Erect a couple of shelters. On site, plant some site trees and shrubs to provide some windbreak as well as a small measure of protection from the rains. These will also afford sheltering roost sites at night for the butterflies or hiding from predators in the daytime. The other potential source of shelter will be the log pile in one corner of your yard which you can screen.
- Provide water. It is a favorite source for butterflies, usually in shallow puddles or moist sand. These areas also furnish salts and required minerals. Offer a birdbath or other plant saucer filled with water and rocks for resting places. Locate it in an obvious area and service the water regularly.
- Keep it sunny.Butterflies, being cold-blooded insects, tend to be less active during chilly mornings. Place your butterfly garden in a warm location of your yard that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine a day. Choose a location where sun exposure would be early enough in the day for them to warm up quickly. Pavement, rocks, and exposed soil absorb heat and therefore provide some additional warmth.
- Plant in drifts. This is the technique of groupings of 3-5 of the same plant so that butterflies can find the larger areas of color.
- Go organic. Never use chemical fertilizers and pesticides. They may cause damage to the butterflies and other fauna.
HOW TO CHOOSE A BUTTERFLY- FRIEND
Choosing plants.
While many flowers will attract butterflies, some are better sources of nutrients than others.The beautiful bond between butterflies and beneficial plants developed organically through centuries, aiming to optimize their chances of survival. The types of plants that provide support for specific butterfly species are often restricted and can differ from one region to another.
Nectar plants vs. caterpillar host plants.
Plant for the life cycle of butterflies. Flowers that hold nectar are a food source and fuel for adults, whereas larval plants like parsley and milkweed can serve as a source of nutrition to a growing caterpillar. There is nothing more wonderful in small spaces than those that provide nectar sources to butterflies and caterpillar foods.
Plant for diversity.
Mix it up with trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals. Make layers so the butterflies have nectar at multiple levels. Some butterflies like high, and some prefer nearer the ground.
Use natives.
Plant native species of food appropriate to your location. This will be what the butterflies are accustomed to seeing as food sources. Find out more about why and how to plant natives.
Plant for continuous bloom.
Choose flowering plants with blooms that come at different times during the growing season, particularly mid to late summer when butterflies are most active. Fall bloomers like aster, goldenrod, and Joe Pye weed can provide for migrating monarch butterflies.
Plant for color.
Butterflies usually adore pink, red, orange, white, yellow, and purple flowers.
8 WINNING BUTTERFLY PLANT COMBINATIONS
Variety in all forms, shapes and colors of flowers will attract butterflies too. You could use these beautiful mixes for creating a lovely butterfly-welcoming landscape that also stimulates other pollinators too.
1. Attract Monarch Butterflies
This dynamic duo will attract a wide range of butterflies, but is most beneficial to monarchs. Milkweed leaves are the only food source for the monarch caterpillar. Butterfly bush and lantana provide copious nectar sources throughout the summer.
2. Add Swallowtails
This combination works well for swallowtail butterflies and gives phlox, bee balm, and verbena for long-blooming nectar sources.Incorporate host plants like curly parsley, fennel, rue, and dill.
3. Container Companions
Provide a container with a colorful and low-maintenance trio of annuals known as 'thriller, filler, spiller' that butterflies will adore. All are excellent nectar sources for all manner of butterflies.
4. Cool Hues
This combination is as dull as a discussion of paint color for house siding but will temper an informal mixed border or bed in the heat of summer.Both varieties of Shasta daisies serve as host and nectar plants, with phlox and blue sage offering reliable long-lasting nectar sources.
5. Make it Hot
Plant these hot-colored annuals together for months of vibrant color. English marigold blooms best during cooler weather, while sunflowers and blanket flowers bloom during the heat of summer. All are good nectar sources.
6. Complementary Companions
Plant these dependable perennials that bloom for extended periods next to each other in a bed or along a border for a striking contrast. All three sources are abundant in nectar, attracting a diverse array of butterflies.
7. Waterwise
These drought-tolerant plants create a delightful spot for butterflies in a dry rock garden or curbside strip. Stonecrop is both a host and nectar plant, and other adult monarch and other butterfly nectar sources include the lovely lavender and yarrow.
8. Go Native
Plant to create natural beauty that will attract a host of butterflies to your yard. Natives grown throughout much of the U.K. You can provide a welcoming habitat for butterflies by planting False indigo, which serves as a host plant and early season nectar source. In the summer, coneflowers and phlox can serve as food sources for adult butterflies.
FAQs
What is the best flower for a butterfly garden?
Learn more about what it takes to create a lovely butterfly garden that serves adult butterflies and caterpillars.
- Sapphire Mist aster.
- 'Pardon My Cerise' bee balm.
- Black-Eyed Susan.
- 'Miss Molly' butterfly bush.
- 'Button bush.
- 'Cat's Pajamas' catmint.
Which flowers attract the most butterflies?
Best butterfly attracting plants in India
- Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
- Passionflower (Passiflora spp.)
- Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- Blue Star (Amsonia spp.
- Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis)
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
- Blazing Star Flowers (Liatris spp. )
- Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens)
How to make a butterfly park?
What you need
- Host plants. You are going to provide butterflies with a place to deposit their eggs where the caterpillars that come out can eat.
- Mud puddles. Certain species of butterflies hardly ever visit flowers. Sites where butterflies overwinter. Don't rake that last leaf yet-butterflies need a nurse crop! Blooms March to November.
- Flowering nectar plants.
