Butterflies don’t just show up without an invitation. Put out the welcome mat with these five ideas.
Discover Flower Power
Plant in drifts. Butterflies are more likely to notice large swaths of color, like these yellow yarrow and rudbeckia. Also, go for bright colors. Red flowers attract more butterflies than white flowers.
Include Host Plants
Plants such as fennel (shown), dill, and parsley are popular food sources for caterpillars that will later turn into butterflies. If you’re worried about nibbled foliage, hide the plants in an inconspicuous spot.
Supply Nectar Plants
The flowers of these plants are a food source for butterflies. Examples include butterfly bush (shown) and daylily. Plant flowers with different but overlapping bloom times, such as bachelor’s buttons and coneflowers.
Make Them Comfortable
Flowers aren’t the only thing butterflies like. They’ll also appreciate a sun-baked surface to warm their wings in the morning and a shallow saucer of water with a sandy bottom where they can drink any time of day.
Keep Them Safe
Limit the use of pesticides and apply only on calm days. Also consider planting a windbreak, such as the trees and evergreens shown here, to calm the air for safe landings.
Once you’ve got your butterfly garden ready, look for these stages of butterfly metamorphosis and these beautiful butterflies to emerge.
Egg
Eggs come in many shapes and colors and are usually laid on leaves, providing a food source for the tiny caterpillars that emerge.
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