Our local newspaper "South Florida Sun-Sentinel" on May 25, 2005 published the following story.
Bugged: Six-year old Elizabeth Gee fixes a butterfly in her line of sight Tuesday during the Butterfly Show in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show features more than 10,000 butterflies, with more than 1,000 being released into the Krohn Conservatory each week. Attendants use Gatorade to attract the insects.
Hmmm... Gatorade! I always wondered what they used to get butterflies to land on them. Now we all know.
The show is at Krohn Conservatory in Eden Park and runs through June 19th. For more information;
http://www.butterflyshow.com/main.html
Interesting way to attract butterflies
Won't load for me so, I will try again later. Gatorade sounds better than some of things I've heard about. LOL.
I use Gatorade to feed the butterflies that I have that eclose in the winter, bad weather or are injured. It contains salts that they need. They like the watermelon and passion fruit flavors. I didn't know they used it at exhibits, but did know they used fruit and it's juices. Some butterflies will land on people when they are working outside because of the salt in your skin.
Hi Guys I am always looking for better things to put in my mini ponds. The Gatorade seems like it might do the trick. Butterflies do go to the mini ponds and other water sources in the yard, but it gets sooo hot here I expect more participation due to the quantity of butterflies I get here.
I currently have three mini ponds made out of 9" clay shallow pot bottoms. I plan on getting a fourth set up over the weekend and I will try a just Gatorade over native crushed gravel and landing rocks in this one. There is another motive here. Trying to get pictues of these butterflies is maddening. I need them to stop once in a while and give me the time to set up to get a good picture. The digital camera is ok, but it's slow. The delay from when the camera is set to when it actually takes the picture leaves a lot to be desired. There is a lot of luck to get a good picture of something as fast as a butterfly. Even when they are feeding they are almost constantly moving.
And I thought this was going to be easy.
Art
KKB's remark about butterflies landing on people outdoors while working because of the salt brings up another sticky point for me. Wednesday morning it was time to do the grass. Before doing it, I had my camera in hand and went to my favorite spots to try and get some pictures. I am (I think) cleverly disguised or hidden behind branches so the butterflies won't see me. Do I get any good pictures...nope. I give up for the moment and begin cutting the grass, edging around the yard, trimming the bushes, etc. My equipment is making all kinds of noise I am wandering into bushes disturbing everything including the butterflies. Do they mind, not at all. If I had my camera I could have gotten all kinds of pictures. They actually seemed to be posing for me. Go figure!
Art
I don't know about leaving Gatorade out in your ponds. You might research and see if anyone has done this. The heat might make it spoil like hummingbird food does. I put just a tiny bit of Gatorade on rotten fruit when I first set it outside. That moistens it and some of it soaks into the fruit. After a day it's gone and they continue to feed on the fruit and it's juices.
I began in earnest yesterday with a new 4X10" pond and gravel with landing rocks and gatorade. Today I will begin adding in cut fruit and see what happens.
Thanks for your notes on this.
Art
The good thing about that is that while the liquids may evaporate the salts will remain in the pond!
John
Thanks John. That's a point I fail to remember (old age I guess) . So far I have been using clay pot bottoms, which absorb. I am thinking about trying a plastic one to prevent excess evaporation and to possibly increase the salts that will remain in the pond.
Art
KKB, you were right, the Gatorade did spoil.
Scratch the gatorade idea. Keep the salts in mind. LOL
This morning I found more ways to attract butterflies via non plant lures. I copied the following information from; http://www.nsis.org/butterfly/butterfly-lures.html
Non-plant Butterfly Lures
As you can see from the butterfly species list, there are quite a few butterflies that don't feed on flower nectar or sap. Some feed on carrion and others feed on mud, probably dining on the waterway version of roadkill. The former is best left to Mother Nature. Other lures include places for basking and, for those that do sip nectar, nectar feeders.
Fruit
Fermenting fruit is something you can make at home without attracting too much attention from the neighbors (it depends on just how nosy they are and probably how much fruit you put out as a lure). If you have fruit trees, try not picking the fruit up and see what happens. If you attract "vermin" rather than butterflies, nix that idea.
You can make a fruit mixture and spread it on fence posts, rocks, tree trunks, whatever is handy. This is called "sugaring" and will attract nectar feeders as well. Basically, mix up some mashed fruit with a sugar source (sugar, molasses, corn syrup, honey) and let it sit for a few hours, then put it out for the butterflies.
In Peter D. Stiling's Florida Butterflies and Other Insects, he includes a basic recipe:
one pound of sugar
one mashed, overripe banana (or other fruit)
one cup of molasses or syrup
one cup of fruit juice
Mix together, leave in the sun for an hour or two (no longer or it will dry up), and paint on in the late afternoon.
He also notes that some people soak sponges in a sugar solution and hang them from trees at dusk to attract butterflies and moths.
Experiment with the basic idea and see what happens. What were you going to do with that rotten banana anyway?
Basking
Butterflies bask in the sun to raise their body temperatures so they can fly. You can accomodate them by including some flat rocks in your garden.
If you have an area that gradually slopes to the south, it's an ideal spot for a butterfly rock garden. Include flat stones and low-growing butterfly plants, such as lantana, Stoke's aster, and clover.
Puddling
Some butterflies sip moisture and nutrients from moist soil. You can provide a puddle by allowing water to stand in a depression in your yard or by placing sand in a wide shallow container and keeping it moist. Puddles should be in an open area.
Nectar feeders
Butterfly feeders, which hold nectar (and sometimes pieces of fruit), can be purchased. You can also make your own. One method is to place a sponge, plastic pot scrubber, or other absorbent material in a saucer of nectar. The saucer should be placed amongst nectar plants, a few inches higher than the blooms. Another method, which I've tried without success, is to hang a small nectar-filled jar, such as a baby food jar, upside down among the nectar plants. Poke a small hole in the lid and plug it with a cotton ball. A red lid or small strips of red cloth will help attract butterflies.
Nectar is made by combining 4 parts water with 1 part white granulated sugar. Boil the solution until the sugar is dissolved and allow it to cool. Store extra solution in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Wash feeders thoroughly once or twice a week (more often in warmer weather) to prevent mold from forming.
If ants are attracted to your feeder, try coating their access route with petroleum jelly or mineral oil.
Good to have all that in one place, Art!
John