Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Do butterflys really use butterfly 'houses'? , 0 by TexasPuddyPrint

TexasPuddyPrint wrote:
Cathy - yes it does look like jello :o) but it's plastic stones - those used in glass vases for decoration. I put them in there so the butterflies would have something to perch on.

Pretty much any type of salty stuff or mineral will attract some butterflies. Just think of all the butterflies that like to puddle on mud and small water puddles...or even scat! We get Sailors, Brown Banded Skippers, Sickle-winged Skippers, Bordered Patches, Rearkirt's Blues and Sulphurs on scat at the ranch. They even go for fresh cow patties. YUCK!

Monarchs are not known to come to the brew. The majority of butterflies that will eat from it are those of the brushfoot family. Here's a list of some that I know have come to it. Red Admiral, Mexican Bluewing, Common Mestra, Snout, Tawny Emperor, Hackberry Emperor, Empress Leilia, Blomfild's Beauty, Common Banner, Pavon Emperor, Silver Emperor, Question Mark, Malachite, California Sister, Band-celled Sister, Red Rim, Gray Cracker, Guatemalen Cracker, Goatweed Leafwing, Tropical Leafwing, Pale-spotted Leafwing, Carolina Satyr, Gemmed Satyr, One-Spotted Prepona.

You might also get some Sulphurs, Gulf Fritillaries and other butterflies - there's really no telling what butterfly will like the stuff :o)

You'll also get some ant, bees and wasps...but the butterflies aren't bothered by them. One way to reduce the bees and wasps is to use a plastic scrubbie. Pour a little bit of bait into a small bowl and set the plastic scrubbie on it. The butterflies will be able to reach through the plastic mesh to reach the brew but the bees and wasps won't.

Oh..and you'll also get some moths coming to it at night. I get Black Witches all the time on it as well as lots of smaller moths and micro moths.

And just to show how crazy some butterflies can get...here's a Southern Dogface on a box of fertilizer that got wet and leeched through the carton.

~ Cat

This message was edited Feb 28, 2008 12:03 AM