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April 27, 2006 NDSU Offers Tips on Starting a Butterfly Garden If you enjoy watching butterflies fluttering from one flower to the next, you may want to consider starting a butterfly garden. “Butterflies bring a sense of excitement to a flower garden and are relaxing and uplifting at the same time,” says Ron Smith, North Dakota State University Extension Service horticulturist. “Butterfly gardens are a simple and easy way to beautify a community or a backyard.” To be successful, a butterfly garden must have nectar sources and host food plants. The flowers provide food and water for adult butterflies in the form of nectar, and host plants provide food for growing caterpillars. Location is important when planning a butterfly garden. A sunny, south-facing butterfly garden will attract more butterflies. Their eggs will hatch sooner and caterpillars will develop quicker, resulting in more butterflies. Gardeners also need to know what butterfly species are found in the area, along with what type of native and exotic flowers grow well in the region. “Find a sheltered spot that is protected from northwest to west winds because butterflies expend less energy if they are not fighting the wind,” Smith says. “Bushes, gazebos or trellises can be used as windbreaks. Butterflies also need a perch, such as garden ornaments, so they have a place to bask in the sun or rest. Butterflies need sun to warm their bodies to 85 to 100 degrees so they easily can fly.” Butterflies will need a water source, such as mud puddles or wet sandy areas, which provide the necessary salts or minerals for the butterflies. A butterfly feeder filled with a 10 percent sugar-water solution provides an additional nectar source. “Butterfly gardeners should not use insecticides,” Smith says. “Insecticides will kill the butterflies because insecticides do not discriminate among insect species.” Butterfly gardeners may want to consider a combination of early-season, midseason and late-season flowers. Early-season flowers:
Midseason flowers:
Late-season flowers:
“Almost any colorful, heavily scented flower is likely to be some butterfly’s favorite,” Smith says. More information on butterfly gardening is available at www.ndsu.edu/instruct/brewer/dept/garden.htm. A publication, “Butterfly Gardening in North Dakota,” is available at your local Extension Service office. ### Source:
Ron Smith, (701) 231-8161, ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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