Colorful butterflies are a great addition to any South Florida yard, not only for their beauty but also for their ability to pollinate other plants. While many people would like to have more butterflies present in their yards, most of us do not know how to attract them. If you’re looking to fill your yard with butterflies of all types this summer, follow these eight tips.
8 Tips For Attracting Butterflies To Your Yard
- Learn To See Like A Butterfly
To attract butterflies to your yard, you must understand how they see. Butterflies are attracted to extremely bright colors. According to the National Wildlife Federation, adult butterflies are extremely attracted to red, yellow, orange, pink, and purple flowers with short flower tubes that are flat-topped or clustered. Planting colorful plants around your yard or garden is a sure way to attract a plethora of butterflies.
- Incorporate Landing Sites
Since butterflies are of the flying variety of insects, they need a place to land. That’s why it’s essential to provide them with plants that allow them room to land and sit while they sip nectar. In addition, butterflies rely on the sun to warm their wings for flight. Consider placing flat stones around your yard or garden to provide butterflies with the space they need to sleep and bask in the sun.
- Ditch Insecticides
Insecticides such as malathion, Sevin, and diazinon should not be used near the areas of your yard that you wish to attract butterflies to. If you are serious about luring butterflies to your property, consider staying away from these types of insecticides altogether. Before you treat your yard with any chemical, consult with a local and trusted pest control company, and be sure to mention that you are trying to attract more butterflies to your yard.
- Invest In The Right Plants
One of the best ways to attract butterflies to your yard is to create a butterfly sanctuary complete with the types of plants they love. One Green Planet provides a list of recommended plants depending on the species of butterfly you are trying to attract.
- Plant In The Sun
Adult butterflies prefer to eat in the sun. To attract butterflies to your yard, your nectar plants should receive full sunlight from mid-morning to mid-afternoon.
- Provide Them With Food Year Round
Butterflies require nectar throughout the entire span of their adult life. Thus it’s essential to make sure you always have a source of food for them. To accomplish this plant accordingly so that when one plant stops blooming another begins.
- Create Puddling Sites
Like all other leaving creatures, butterflies must be hydrated to survive; however, butterflies are unable to drink from traditional birdbaths and fountains. ThoughtCo. advises that butterflies hydrate and take in nutrients by drinking from mud puddles. Thus, a complete butterfly habitat will include one or more puddling sites. You can create a puddling site by sinking a dish tub or bucket into the ground and filling it with sand. You will need to make sure to wet the sand down with your garden hose every day, so the butterflies have a source to drink from.
- Don’t Forget About Caterpillars
You will never be able to attract large numbers of butterflies if you only focus on adult butterflies, and completely ignore caterpillars. Female butterflies are constantly canvasing yards and gardens, looking for places to lay their eggs. Thus, it’s essential to bring caterpillar food into your yard or garden. This article will provide you with a list of host plants that common garden butterflies prefer.
Final Thoughts
Attracting butterflies to your yard can be a challenge and will take thought, planning, and effort. While there is no sure method for attracting these beautiful creatures, the eight tips mentioned in this article should provide you with the best chance to fill your yard with colorful butterflies. For additional tips on how to attract butterflies to your yard, check out this article by Gardener’s Supply Company, and this article by Birds & Blooms.
