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Improvision With a Butterfly Feeder
There are no set rules to enjoying wildlife in your backyard. Because a bird feeder is meant for birds, does it mean you couldn’t use it for squirrels if you wanted to? An old birdhouse can even be used for a sheltered feeding spot…sans the front wall. In my many years of backyard birding, I’ve learned to improvise with older items, keeping them useful for other species to enjoy.This past summer a small birdbath fell over (for the third time) and broke. The break was once again a clean one, so super glue to the rescue. This time I had the idea of turning the bath into a butterfly feeder. Relocated into the flower garden, I began placing orange quarters and banana chucks on it.
The first go-round didn’t work as sadly there were no butterflies seen. Another thing I’ve learned is persistence….if it doesn’t always work the first, or even second time-try again! After a few tries of experimenting with different fruits, the eagle had landed!. Three Monarch’s graced the garden and ate from the feeder. For that summer, I was lucky enough to have witnessed many species of butterflies. Unidentifiable technical names to me, but what a joy to have them around everyday!
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Flowers and Fruit as Butterfly Feeders
You can attract butterflies and keep them around by using nectar-producing flowers, and offering over-ripe fruit. These make perfect butterfly feeders during mid to late summer, when butterflies are most active. Having plants blooming in succession will attract new visitors too. The Butterfly Bush and Butterfly Weed are the most popular flowers used to attract butterflies, some other nectar-producing flowers include:
- Asters
- Black-Eyed Susan
- Blue Cardinal Flower
- Common Milkweed
- Delphinium
- Heliotrope
- Joe-Pye Weed
- Lantana
- Liatris
- Marigolds
- Oriental Lilies
- Petunias
- Phlox
- Privet
- Purple Coneflower
- Sedum (Autumn Joy)
- Verbena
- Zinnia
Over-ripened fruit also provides a tasty treat and should be placed in the sun on a raised plate, hung from a shepherd’s hook on a tray feeder, or even a shallow birdbath. Make sure it is in close proximity to your blooming flowers. Some favorite fruits include; peaches, bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, strawberries, and other melons.
Leaf Misters will also attract butterflies, as they love to flit back and forth through the gentle spray. We have one in a bed of Lantana that butterflies visit daily during hot summer days. Bring your garden to life with the magic of butterflies!
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Watch This Butterfly Feeder
If you adore butterflies….put out a butterfly feeder! You can make your own nectar, much like hummingbird nectar. Use 1 part sugar to 4 parts water, no brown sugar, syrup, or any other substitutes should be used. Butterflies also love fruit…on the very ripe side. Bananas, oranges, strawberries, and other over-ripe fruits are a real treat for them. Something as simple as a kitchen plate, a shallow bird bath, or a tray feeder, placed in the sun, preferably near lots of bright flowers will attract these magnificent “flying flowers”
This video shows butterflies feasting on oranges:
Birding Tips, Information & News
There are no set rules to enjoying wildlife in your backyard. Because a bird feeder is meant for birds, does it mean you couldn’t use it for squirrels if you wanted to? An old birdhouse can even be used for a sheltered feeding spot…sans the front wall. In my many years of backyard birding, I’ve learned to improvise with older items, keeping them useful for other species to enjoy.