Glass Butterfly Feeders

Butterfly Feeders Designed With Style & Beauty In Mind

Butterfly Feeders

What Butterflies Need
Besides Nectar

By Noah Michael

I've been fascinated with insects since childhood and butterflies in particular with their metamorphosis from egg to caterpillar to
chrysalis. While my childhood passion did not yield a career in Lepidoptera, I absolutely love it when a Swallowtail or Monarch
comes fluttering through my flower garden. When a friend turned me on to butterfly gardening I decided I wanted to learn all
about which plants butterflies use for nectar as well as which serve as host plants for the caterpillars.

A butterfly garden is a fantastic way to promote education and conservation of these winged beauties since increased
urbanization is constantly infringing on butterfly habitats. A butterfly garden can come in any size or shape from a fully
landscaped backyard, to a small balcony or patio to a window box. Planting the flowers adult butterflies rely on for nectar as
well as the host plants the next generation of caterpillars will feed on quickly attracts large numbers of local butterflies. By
alternating plants with various blooming cycles you can ensure vigorous butterfly activity year round.

Adult butterflies feed on sweet liquid, such as nectar from flowers. You can plant a variety of flowers to attract adult butterflies
including petunias, alyssum, lobelia, cosmos, daylily, and rudbeckia daisies. Vines such as trumpet vine, wisteria or passion
vine will quickly fill in and you may also consider shrubs such as hibiscus and butterfly bush.

A great way to jumpstart your butterfly traffic is to use a homemade feeder filled with sugar water. Mix 4 parts
water to 1 part sugar, boil until the sugar is fully dissolved and then cool. Use something absorbant like paper
towels to soak up the solution and put them in a shallow container on a post a few inches above your flowers.
Another easy trick is to do the same with watermelon cuttings, but don't worry about keeping it fresh - they prefer
it rotten.

Some butterflies can be observed on moist sand or mud gathering around puddles of water where they feed. The function of
this "puddling" is not fully understood, they may be drinking the dissolved minerals, but maintaining a damp, salty area in your
yard can be a useful method for attracting these butterflies. It can also be a good idea to put some rocks in your garden giving
the butterflies a spot to bask in the morning sun and warm themselves.

Now, the caterpillars are much pickier eaters and most species will only survive on their own specific host plants. Monarch
caterpillars, for example, can only live on milkweed plants while female swallowtails look for parsley, dill and fennel to lay their
eggs.

Anyone can have success butterfly gardening, just research what butterflies live in your area and then fill your garden with the
appropriate host plants and lots of nectar sources.

Lots of Gardening Tips and Photos at http://backyardgardener.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Noah_Michael

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Glass Butterfly Feeders

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These hand blown glass butterfly feeders make a great gift for the avid home gardener! Available in bright yellow, beautiful blue, or a gorgeous red,. Fill your glass butterfly feeders with over-ripened fruit or fresh water to add to your butterfly�s energy supplies. This unique glass Butterfly Feeder is an exquisitely designed, hand blown work of art. The glass feeder measures approx. 6"H x 6�D. It comes with a black metal rod which is approx. 43 1/2" in height.

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