Butterflies are everything magic and whimsy. No other insect has stopped me in my tracks to look for my phone camera faster than when these insects flutter into my garden.
Perhaps you have seen one of these fascinating creatures flutter by on a summer afternoon, and you, too, were mesmerized by their appearance.
If you’re looking for a way to attract more butterflies into your garden space, there are a few tricks and tips you can employ to make that happen!
It’s actually a lot easier than you might think. With a few simple steps and some attention to detail, you can turn any outdoor space into a butterfly haven that butterflies will look forward to visiting.
In this blog post, I’ll go over some tips and tricks for creating the kind of world butterflies love to visit and also discuss how you can hatch your own.
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The Butterfly in Mythology
Butterflies have been a part of the human story since humans could tell stories.
Many cultures celebrate the beauty of the butterfly in both their art and literature. The Ancient Greeks depicted the goddess Psyche with the wings of a butterfly and in Japan a butterfly symbolizes a person’s soul as well as the circle of life.
The Native Americans saw butterflies as symbols of both joy and beauty.
They believe that butterflies were messengers of change and thought that they had the ability to bring peace and harmony between different cultures.
In some traditions, seeing a butterfly was thought to be an omen of good luck.
For Christians, the butterfly is a symbol of Christ’s resurrection. They use the butterfly as a symbol of the metamorphosis: just as Christ was resurrected from the tomb, a butterfly emerges from its cocoon reborn into something new.
In modern times, butterflies continue to be seen as symbols of hope and transformation. Many choose to have butterflies tattooed on their bodies as a representation of better days to come.
A Butterfly's Life
Not only are butterflies graceful and beautiful they are an absolute delight to watch flying about the garden. In addition, their lifecycle is absolutely fascinating. They merge from their tiny chrysalis wet and fragile, these ethereal insects are soon able to flap their wings making the transformation complete.
Not only are butterflies graceful and beautiful they are also an absolute delight to watch flying about a garden. Their lifecycle has been the wonder and delight of children and adults alike.
A butterfly starts its life off as a caterpillar. It lives solely on the leaves of plants sometimes doubling in size in a day. When the caterpillar has completed its growth to its fullest size, it creates a hard cocoon called a chrysalis.
Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar undergoes a dramatic transformation that leaves most people baffled.
It soon emerges from its cocoon ready to take on the world and take flight
The second a butterfly hatches into the world, it begins to explore the environment it now lives in.
It seeks out food and mates sometimes traveling long distances in search of the best conditions.
As a butterfly feasts, they pollinate flowers along their long journey and disperse seeds.
The lifecycle continues when the butterfly lays its eggs in the leaves of plants that its offspring can live off of.
How long a butterfly will live varies on the species of butterfly; however, most butterflies will live between 1 to 3 months before dying.
During that time, they enjoy the beauty of nature, pollinate flowers, and bring joy to those who have the pleasure of viewing them.
They really are a marvel of nature.
Why You Should Attract Butterflies
You’re probably reading this blog because you already love butterflies and want to attract them into your garden but there are so many other reasons besides their beauty that make them a welcomed visitor.
Not only are butterflies beautiful and fascinating creatures, but butterflies are also excellent pollinators that will help plants and vegetables thrive.
They’re especially beneficial to fruits and vegetables ensuring that you will have an ample harvest for the gardening season.
They help balance out local insect populations and they promote the health and growth of plants that would otherwise suffer from overpopulation.
Butterflies are also a good indication of how healthy our environment is. With climate change, butterflies are often the first species to notice deteriorations.
If you’re seeing a lot of butterflies in your garden it is most likely because your environment is healthy and thriving.
Attracting butterflies to visit your garden also encourages a greater connection to the natural world around you. When a butterfly flies into your garden, you stop to watch it.
You stop to watch its beauty and its uniqueness. It helps us appreciate the beauty of the world and the sheer miracle of life.
It helps us stop and reflect on the moment and remember that we are all connected.
Planning Your Butterfly Garden
The best way to attract butterflies to your yard is by having a dedicated place where you can grow a butterfly garden.
The garden itself does require some planning and thought. You will want to plan out what kinds of plants, water, and shelter that you will provide to be able to attract butterflies.
Below are some tips and tricks to help you when planning out what you will do to incorporate these items.
You’re going to first want to consider the size and the location of your garden.
A small backyard can easily accommodate a butterfly garden if you plan it out properly.
Look for an area that gets at least six hours of sunlight each day as butterflies need warmth to help them stay active and vital.
In addition, you’re going to want to make sure that the area is sheltered from strong winds and rain which might make it otherwise difficult for butterflies to navigate and feed.
Next, you’re going to want to consider what kind of plants you are going to include in your butterfly garden.
Choose varieties that provide ample amounts of food and be sure to include shades of reds, yellows, purples, oranges, pinks or blues.
You might also consider researching native plant species that grow in your area.
Milkweed, aster, fennel, carrots are all excellent choices that attract adult butterflies and our ideal places for them to lay their eggs.
In addition to plants, you might also want to add some artificial features to your garden that will help attract butterflies.
A shallow dish filled with damp soil and fruit is a great way to attract butterflies that will want to drink and cool off on hot days.
A butterfly feeder filled with sugar water can also give them something to snack on.
Plant Flowers that Butterflies Love
If you are wondering how to attract butterflies to your garden, you have to start thinking like a butterfly.
Planting the colorful flowers that butterflies enjoy is your best bet in attracting these whimsical insects to your garden.
Some of the best flowers for attracting butterflies include:
• Asters: Perennial blooms that come in a variety of colors and bloom all season long, providing plenty of nectar for butterflies.
• Lantana: These cheerful flowers produce clusters of small blooms in shades of yellow, orange, pink, purple, and white.
• Marigolds: Not only do these bright blooms attract butterflies, they’re also known to repel certain pests.
•Milkweed: A perennial flowering plants are a host plant for many butterfly varieties. They spread by rhizomes making them quite aggressive spreaders.
• Zinnias: Available in many shapes and sizes, zinnias are easy to grow and provide a great food source for butterflies.
• Sunflowers: These tall, cheery blooms will not only draw in butterflies and bees as well.
In addition to planting flowers that butterflies love, you can also create a butterfly habitat by adding a water feature, hanging a butterfly feeder, and providing places for them to rest.
If you provide them with what they need, you’ll soon have a beautiful array of butterflies visiting your garden!
Plant Caterpillar Food
Another surefire way to attract butterflies to your garden is to plant herbs, flowers, and vegetables that are enticing to butterfly caterpillars.
Each year, I plant an exorbitant amount of dill.
Why?
Well, for one, I love dill pickles and use a lot of dill in my homemade dill pickle recipe.
The second reason is because I know swallowtail butterflies love laying their eggs on my dill plants and we will soon have many caterpillars munching on that herb.
My children love to watch the life cycle of these caterpillars as they transition to butterflies. We carefully place the caterpillars into a butterfly-hatching house with plenty of food.
Adds some sticks and twigs and place the house in a place that doesn’t get too much sunshine. In a few weeks, the caterpillars will grow, turn into chrysalis, and hatch as beautiful butterflies.
It’s very exciting to behold for both kids and adults alike.
Put Out A Butterfly Feeder
In addition to planting flowers that butterflies naturally gravitate to, you may want to provide a butterfly feeder to entice them to your garden…especially early on in the season when flowers have yet to bloom.
How to make a butterfly feeder:
Butterfly feeders are relatively easy to make. They are also a great activity for children to take part in, so feel free to get them involved.
Your first step is to find a shallow dish that’s large enough for a butterfly to land on.
A dish that is red or yellow in color is a good choice. Don’t worry if you can’t find one that is colorful, a plain dish will work just as well.
Place the dish in an area of your garden where the butterflies will be able to easily find it and fill the dish with a mixture of water, sugar, and salt.
The ratio should be one part sugar and one part salt to four parts water.
Make sure to stir the mixture until it is completely dissolved and then place it in the sun to warm it up.
Once the mixture is warmed, add fresh fruits or vegetables such as apples, oranges, and carrots to the feeder.
These will provide the butterflies with essential vitamins and minerals, as well as energy from the sugars.
Place the feeder in a sunny spot in your garden and you will soon have plenty of butterflies visiting your yard.
If you don’t have time to make a homemade feeder, you can purchase one at a local garden store.
These are ready-made and are designed specifically for attracting butterflies. Just be sure to follow the directions provided with the feeder and fill it up with fresh ingredients regularly.
By providing a food source for the butterflies, you will have them flocking to your garden in no time!
Add a Water Feature
A water feature is a great way to attract butterflies to your garden.
They enjoy the liquid refreshment and will often stay for extended periods of time.
Adding a water feature can be simple and budget-friendly.
A shallow birdbath filled with fresh, clean water is a great way to start. You can also add a fountain or small pond if you have the space.
Place your water feature in an area that gets some sun, but is also sheltered from strong winds.
That way, butterflies can easily find it and benefit from its presence.
Be sure to keep your water feature clean and refreshed to encourage regular visits.
Give Them a Place to Rest
Providing a place for butterflies to rest is an important part of attracting them to your garden.
Butterflies are incredibly active creatures, and they need somewhere to land and rest after their long journeys.
You can provide this resting spot by placing flat rocks in sunny areas of your garden.
The rocks will absorb the sun’s heat and act as a warm surface for the butterflies to rest on.
You can also place vertical stakes near the edge of your garden for them to land on.
By adding these resting spots, you can create a cozy environment that will encourage more butterflies to visit your garden.
Final Thoughts
Planning and creating a butterfly garden is a way for us to entice butterflies to visit our garden spaces.
Butterflies, and the caterpillars they transform from, are captivating creatures that bring joy and beauty to our gardens.
By planning a garden with the right plants, providing them with food sources, and adding water features, you can create an atmosphere that is inviting for butterflies.
With a few simple changes, you can help preserve these magnificent creatures for generations to come.
