Homemade Tips for the Butterfly Garden

Locality

• Every state has different butterflies, so the first step for any successful butterfly garden is knowing your native species. For example, Arizona has more than 60 types of native butterflies in various families. Best of all, once you know the types of butterflies, you can note what they eat. Because certain butterflies are native to your state, the plants they eat are also going to be native to your area. This means the plants can grow easily in your yard and thrive. The Butterfly Site offers a complete list of butterflies by state.

Placement

• Butterflies are cold blooded. This means they require the sun's warmth to keep their body temperature up. So the best butterfly gardens are those that provide ample sunlight for butterfly basking. In addition, gardens positioned next to walls or structures are ideal for blocking wind so that the butterflies are not blown around as easily. Finally, place some boulders around the garden for butterflies to land and bask on.

Food

• Butterflies are attracted to their food source. Unlike hummingbirds or bees that go anywhere for food, butterflies look for some specific requirements. First, butterflies like a garden with a lot of flowers. By placing large bunches of flowers together in your garden, you are providing more food and energy for the butterflies. Next, butterflies look for host plants for their young. Butterflies lay their eggs on host plants, and the caterpillars that are then born feed on these plants. Finally, you must make the food safe for the butterflies. This means no pesticides that can kill caterpillars or butterflies should be used in the garden.

Head Start

• Give your butterfly garden a head start by intentionally planting some eggs. Catch a butterfly and place it into a plastic jar with some holes in the top. Also place a cotton ball soaked in sugar water and a host plant stem with some leaves into the jar. Set the jar in a light-filled room but not in direct sunlight. The butterfly will lay its eggs on the branch within 24 hours. Let the butterfly go and place the eggs onto your outdoor host plants.