WhatDoCaterpillarsEat.com
...and everyone else on Earth!
...and everyone else on Earth!
Today butterfly gardening is becoming more and more popular because of our natural attraction to perfection and beauty. Unusual, wonderful butterflies fluttering around our gardens give us joy and peace of mind…And the joy from butterfly gardening is greater when you realize that you help these amazing creatures to come into the world, support them during their life and take care of their offsprings.
Butterfly gardening is an easy way to make this world a better and more beautiful place! There are no requirements to the size of a butterfly garden, it can be a simple window box or an entire yard.
Make your garden butterfly-friendly. Even if you don’t raise butterfly caterpillars yourself, you can attract butterflies to you garden. If butterflies love your garden they will lay eggs there and your efforts will be rewarded with a new butterfly generation.
Finding out which butterflies inhabit your area and making a list should be the first step in butterfly gardening. If you cannot identify butterfly species, you can find some information on this website. However, a good
is more convenient to take out when you investigate surroundings.
Compile a list of plants you need for each butterfly type. You can consult our website or use a handy field guide to learn what caterpillars & butterflies eat. The book would be more convenient when you are out in the filed. Remember that butterflies and their offsprings (caterpillars) often need different types of plants. If you want your butterflies to stay longer in you garden and lay eggs, provide them with plants that their caterpillars eat (host plants). The plants native to your area are preferable.
Plant the flowers in your garden that butterflies love to feed on and host plants for caterpillars (the plants that caterpillars eat). You butterfly garden should be sheltered from wind. Butterflies a very lightweight creatures, they won’t endure blows shaking them off the flowers while they are feeding.
Locate your butterfly garden in a sunny area. Butterflies love sun and need to have it several hours a day. Butterflies need not only nectar but also water. A pool or a bucket of water is not the best solution. Set up a mud paddle or a bucket with moist sand so that your butterflies are able to rest there. Don’t use pesticides in your butterfly garden! Click here for some tips on organic alternatives. You can use additional butterfly garden accessories. A Butterfly House with special slots will protect your butterflies from wind, rain and birds. An additional nectar source is a good way to attract more butterflies for a longer stay. Here you can find other useful Butterfly Gardening Accessories.