Are you looking for ways to attract butterflies to your backyard? There are all kinds of things you can do to encourage the insects to visit your garden. It can be as easy as choosing plants that butterflies rely on for food. But other landscaping ideas can make your backyard even more attractive to the insects. For instance, consider:
- The arrangement of plants;
- Bloom time;
- The amount of sun;
- Sources of shelter;
- Hardscaping like birdbaths and butterfly houses.
With a little bit of creativity and planning your backyard can become an oasis for the butterflies that inhabit your region.
Plant Arrangement
In addition to choosing the right plants, it’s also important to establish them in patterns that are attractive to butterflies.
Plant Height
While many species aren’t picky about which flowers they get nectar from, some species do have preferences when it comes to nectar. For instance, according to Jamie McIntosh at The Spruce, tiger swallowtails prefer the nectar from Joe Pye weed, which is quite tall. Skippers and little yellows, however, seek out flowers on shorter plants.
When choosing flowering plants for their nectar, look at plant height. To attract the widest range of butterflies possible, chose plants of varying heights.
Plant in Masses
Butterflies identify plants by sight, and particularly by bloom colour. Establishing masses of the same flowering plants together will make it easy for butterflies to find the nectar sources they prefer. Planting in masses is also attractive for aesthetic reasons. It looks best when tall plants are established at the back of flower beds and the shorter plants are arranged at the front.
Trees and Shrubs
There are all kinds of blossoming trees and shrubs that attract butterflies, such as gorgeous—and aromatic—lilac bushes.
It is true that trees and shrubs take longer to mature and start producing blooms. As well, they are usually more expensive to purchase than annuals or perennials. However, these are plants that last for decades. A lilac bush, for example, can live for over 100 years.
These larger plants have many benefits for butterflies as well. For example, many flower in the early spring before annuals and perennials start producing blooms. These early blossoms provide a much-needed source of nectar for butterflies that are coming out of winter hibernation. As well, due to their size, trees and shrubs usually produces masses of blooms. The large number of flowers makes it easier for butterflies to spot a valuable food source. Finally, butterflies can seek shelter under leaves and on twigs and branches, protecting them from wind, rain, and predators.
Sunshine
The sun—and the warmth is produces—is crucial to butterfly survival. Butterflies are ectotherms like reptiles and fish. In the past, we referred to these creatures as being cold blooded, since they can’t retain the heat generated by their metabolism. However, it’s not so much that their blood is naturally cold as their internal temperature changes according to environmental factors. In warm spots, they will be warm; in cold spots, they will be chilled.
Butterflies need to be warm in order for their muscles to work properly for flight. And, in fact, you will often see butterflies basking on a warm rock to soak up the sun’s heat so that they can fly.
But basking leaves them vulnerable to predators like birds and bats. While a spot to bask is important, it’s safest for butterflies to simply inhabit naturally sunny areas. For a butterfly garden to attract the largest number of insects, it should receive full sun for at least five hours daily.
It’s not always easy to manage the amount of sun your backyard receives. Northern-facing yards, for instance, will naturally receive less sun than southern-facing ones. But, you may be able to increase the amount of sun your yard receives via your landscaping choices. Do things like ensuring that hardscaping doesn’t create more shade in a spot that would be ideal for a butterfly garden. Also make sure that mature trees and shrubs are pruned and well-tended to minimize the shade produced by wild growth.
Shelter
When making landscaping decisions, take butterfly shelter into consideration. Butterflies need safe spaces both for nocturnal rest and for protection from predators. Think about including trees and shrubs that attract your region’s butterflies with their blossoms. The bountiful leaves as well as the twigs and branches provide lots of places for butterflies to safely rest. Other landscaping ideas that can provide shelter to butterflies are tall ornamental grasses, hanging flower baskets, and butterfly houses.
Hardscaping
Hardscaping refers to permanent non-plant features in a garden like pathways, fences, and ponds. If you are planning a butterfly garden, this is the perfect time to look at—and beautify—your hardscaping. Consider adding things like:
- A butterfly feeder. Not all butterflies turn to nectar for their food source. As pointed by Austin Parks and Recreation, some choose overripe or rotting fruit, which provides much-needed protein. A butterfly feeder will ensure that your backyard attracts as many different butterfly species as possible.
- A source of water. Butterflies need shallow sources of water to drink from. A birdbath with just a little bit of water at the bottom works perfectly. Additionally, mud puddles provide important nutrients for a butterfly’s diet. Male butterflies, in particular, engage in “puddling,” where they sit on damp soil to extract needed minerals. You can create mud puddles in your backyard for this purpose. Simply sink a pan filled with soil, sand, and manure in the ground and keeping it damp. For this feature to work as intended, the “puddle” should be just damp and not wet. If there’s too much water, butterflies won’t be able to set down in it.
- Large flat stones can provide attractive visual interest for your backyard. They also offer a spot for cold butterflies to bask and warm up for flight. To make sure the stone is well used, place it in a sunny area.
- Butterfly houses also provide visual interest in a backyard. They are a relatively easy creative project. They’re similar to bird houses except that there are slits in the walls to provide an opening for the butterflies.
Choosing the right flowers and plants is crucial to creating a butterfly garden. But to make your backyard truly inviting to butterflies, additional landscaping is a much. When considering your landscaping options, look at plant placement, shelter, hardscaping and how to create spots with lots of warm sunshine.
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