Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Yellow Swallowtails, 1 by hill5422

hill5422 wrote:
My apologies for taking so long, but my husband is the techno whiz in the family AND the entomologist, so all things revolve around his schedule. He just got back from a trip and is about to take off on another one, so I jumped at the opportunity to hit him up for the pics and the protocol he uses to prepare the bananas.

He says that you can use any bananas of any age. The trick is to freeze them first, because the butterflies cannot feed on them unless the banana flesh is liquified and freezing shatters the cells so it will turn to goo quickly once thawed. Once the bananas are frozen solid, remove them from the freezer and while still frozen make a slice through the skin about four inches long to expose the flesh. The bananas are then placed on a cheapo paper plate to thaw. They can be put outside at this time remaining on the plate, but realize that they won't attract any butterflies until they are completely thawed, brown, nasty and stinky with liquified flesh--usually takes a few hours. Even sooner if you place them in the sun. We usually keep them in the shade as they will last longer before you have to replace the banana.

We have never added anything to the banana, although I have heard of special recipes that people can prepare as an attractant with the banana, just so long as the banana is liquified. And, yes, just the simple, plain old rotten banana, once thawed, is stinky like any rotten fruit will smell, but it is limited to a small area and is bearable enough to stand to get near it to take pics of what is feeding on it. One banana on a plate at a time is plenty and will attract for at least a week before requiring replacement.

My husband says that this method mostly attracts the brush-footed butterflies in the daytime, the Nymphalidae. We have seen Mourning Cloaks, Emperors, Hackberrys, Red Admirals, and Painted Ladies in the daytime. A favorite that my husband loves to watch for is the California Sister. Are you familiar with that one, Chuck? :-)

Be aware that this will also attract many different kinds of interesting flies and bees. The butterflies are fun to watch defending the banana and will flick all the smaller insects away with their wings, or chase the larger ones all over the yard. At night, the banana will be covered in moths. Pretty cool looking when checked out with a flashlight after dark. Sometimes you can't even see the banana or the plate there are so many!

I'd like to know how this works for those that wish to try it and please post some pics of what comes to feed in your area! Following is a pic hubbie took of a Red Admiral and a Mourning Cloak on a banana earlier this year.

Happy butterflying,
Kenya