Such as this one:
http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/RTProduct.asp?SKU=INL-02020
Just wondering if they are worth the bother and expense? any thoughts?
And here are some other ideas for how to make a plate of juicy tidbits for the Butterflies...
http://www.allfreecrafts.com/nature/butterfly-food.shtml
Have you ever tried a commercial BF "feeder"??
I did and they wouldn't use it. I got them because i had 25 Monarchs eclose at Christmas and we were having a cold snap so didn't want to release them until it warmed up so they could migrate. They never would use it. They just wanted out. You can have both of them plus the food for postage if you want to try. Just let me know
Thanks, Donna, for your offer. I will wait and see if anyone up around this area had good luck with them...I sort of suspect though, that your experience is pretty typical! t.
Judy - I think these butterfly feeders fall into the same category as the Butterfly House. I have never had a butterfly use my garden deco butterfly house. The anoles and stick bugs use it, but never a butterfly! lol
Hey Becky, I was just going to ask about the butterfly houses. So they don't use them? What is the purpose for those anyway? I have always been curious about that. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Leslie
think it is for us dummies that buy them and put money in their pockets lol. I have bought them too. They are decorative anyway
I agree with Donna! They are more of a garden decoration than something a butterfly would use. But other critters DO use them. Some of them predators of butterflies! LOL! Which is probably why butterflies DO NOT use them! :-)
Most of the time, a butterfly will perch upside-down on a branch or leaf when sleeping at night or during inclement weather. Sometimes when I am watering my gardens in the late afternoon/early evening, I run a bunch of butterflies out of my plants when I accidentally spray the leaves. LOL! I guess they didn't want a bath! ;-)
Gee, this is good reading folks. I have been trying to attract more BF's to the garden--we have more and more each year. I think the keys are host and nectar plants and water--they especially like moist, sandy banks. We installed a pond with water lilies and PRESTO! Swarms of birds and butterflies--and ah, frogs!! The mosquitoes have taken a back seat.
Foxnfirefly-- I was just wondering about "bog gardening for butterflies". I suppose it should be a separate thread--anyway--I was wondering which 'boggy' plants are expecially butterfly friendly.
I know of swamp milkweed, ironweed, joe-pye weed, maybe monarda, mmm...what else....?
Why don't you start a thread about bog/water gardens and butterflies?.... (-:
An interesting new topic.....
Sesbania Punicea (Scarlet Wisteria Tree), Texas Red Star Hibiscus, Cannas, Swamp Hibiscus (hisbiscus Lapocarpus)(spelling) Lobelia, Ruellia Brittonia & Chi Chi(spelling) are a few that will do great in a bog
Whoa! That's a nice list of boggy plants! I will google and see what's good in Zone 6.
Tabasco--great idea to start a new thread. I'm not that familiar myself with swampy/bog plants but would love getting a discussion going.
DonnaB --I know MS is swamp country!! The D. C. area where I live has a lot of those plants, too. Not sure how far North they go, but am sure we will hear from some of the Yankees!