Fast, Free Butterfly Baths

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/fast-free-butterfly-baths.html

posted by Annie B. Bond Jul 9, 2005 7:33 pm

filed under: Garden & Nature, Nature & Wildlife, Nature Activities, butterfly baths

Butterflies are drawn to water, but only if they can wade and flit in just the shallowest of shallows. (Ever notice gatherings of butterflies on the puddles along a creek or stream?) They are also are drawn to a particular nutrient found in soils.

Here’s how to provide butterflies a butterfly spa that they love so that they flock to your garden, deck, or balcony:

Make a Butterfly Landing Pad

Recycle an old Frisbee. Add marbles to the bottom for weight and landing pads (or a flat stone, a brick, or something organic and heavy that you have handy).

Sink a broken cup into the ground or into a large pot of plants on your deck or balcony. Cut up a sponge to fit into the cup or stuff in a well-rinsed net shower scrubber. Keep the cup filled with water.

Fill an old pizza or jelly roll pan with water to provide a shallow puddle on a sunny day. Line the pan with a cotton tea towel or paper towels.

Make it “For Butterflies Only”

Another way to attract butterflies is to make a small butterfly spa using a large plate, an old baking dish, or a shallow ceramic bowl. Sink the dish into the ground (preferably in a flowerbed, which is attractive as well as convenient–no mowing around it) and fill it with sand, which has absorbed or contains the salts and nutrients butterflies love. Or just toss a shovelful of dirt into the container. Wet the sand or dirt thoroughly and make sure it stays constantly damp.

Make a Butterfly Buffet

A platform feeder meant for birds works nicely for giving butterflies a buffet of bananas, watermelon, or apples. Change the fruit every day or two to keep the display presentable, although the butterflies won’t mind and would probably prefer rotting material. Swallowtails, painted ladies, and fritillaries are the most likely to visit a fruit station such as this.

Adapted from Panty Hose, Hot Peppers, Tea Bags, and More–For the Garden, by Yankee Magazine (Rodale Press, 2006).

More on Nature & Wildlife (87 articles available)
More from Annie B. Bond (3248 articles available)

33 comments

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33 comments add your comment

kelly s. says
Dec 31, 2008 1:48 AM

Love the ideas, and have already had some success!Thanks so much for this wonderful article, even my daughter has taken such delight with the success!

send green star

Carol Highhouse says
Dec 14, 2008 9:50 PM

I have butterfly friendly plants in my backyard and do have monarchs breed and have made coccoons on my screen and bushes. I've had the pleasure of watching the whole process and hope to keep doing that with the many butterflies I can attract.

send green star

Marjorie A. says
Dec 14, 2008 4:09 PM

Thankyou for all the ideas for butterflies. I get a lot in my area. I have lots of flowerbed and will try your ideas to keep the butterflies coming.

send green star

Murathan A. says
Dec 14, 2008 9:14 AM

Certainly a perfect idea!!!

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laird d. says
Dec 13, 2008 1:58 AM

have a look at my butterfly fairy garden on my profile album. all comment and new friends welcome

send green star

Sharon Ross says
Dec 13, 2008 1:20 AM

Thank you for this very great & useful article :-)

send green star

Chantale Kanazawa says
Dec 12, 2008 3:48 PM

It's nice to visualize fluttering butterflies bathing together by the flowers during a snowy winter's day. Thank you. Spring's around the corner... Kinda...

send green star

Jane M. says
Dec 12, 2008 1:32 PM

Thanks for the info on butterflies! I am going to try some of these things you mentioned. now its winter, I will have to wait until spring! living in this desert i really dont see many butterflies and i just love them. they are so beautiful,Thanks again Jane Morrison

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Helena D. says
Dec 12, 2008 6:29 AM

Awesome idea! I live in an area with many yellow swallowtails and northern whites, and they are so beautiful. Sometimes they come to the hummingbird feeder, but now they can have a place of their own.

send green star

Joanne S. says
Aug 24, 2008 9:56 AM

This is a wonderful idea, and one I never knew about. I love butterflies and have a great video of one I'd like to share, if I only knew how. Definitely will try this idea. Thanks and God bless you.

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