In recent years, butterfly habitat has been significantly reduced due to property development, pesticide use and climate. You can help support these beneficial insects by creating a butterfly sanctuary in your yards. Here are some tips to help you create a successful butterfly garden.

• Provide food.Adult butterflies rely solely on liquid food sources. They drink through a long tubular tongue that uncoils to sip liquid. In addition to flower nectar, they also consume tree sap, pollen, fallen fruit, and animal dung. Butterfly larvae have chewing mouth parts and feed on leafy food plants such as milkweed foliage, parsley, and fennel.
• Offer water. Set out a birdbath or plant saucer filled with water and rocks where butterflies can perch.
• Keep it sunny.Butterflies are cold-blooded insects that will be less active on colder mornings. Locate your butterfly garden in a part of your yard that receives at least 6 hours of sun each day. Make sure there’s a spot where sunlight hits early in the day so butterflies can warm up quickly. Pavement, rocks, or exposed soil will absorb heat, providing additional warmth.
• Go organic.Don’t use chemical fertilizers or pesticides, as they can harm butterflies and other wildlife.
• Pick the right plants. A list of butterfly faves is below!

Perennials: Milkweed, Butterfly Bush, Phlox, Bee Balm, Daisy, Salvia, Catmint, Sedum, Coneflower, Baptisia

Annuals: Zinnia, Verbena, Pentas, Marigold, Sunflower, Lantana, Alyssum

Get kids involved with this DIY Butterfly Feeder!

Butterfly (& Bee!) Feeder

Butterflies are wonderful pollinators, and add a beautiful bit of magic to a thriving flower garden …  A butterfly feeder is a great way to attract them and keep them hanging around. Your kids will love chasing them around the garden, and you can have a load of fun making and painting your own butterfly feeder together. This feeder is made with a Terra-Cotta pot and saucer and decorated with bright colored paints!

Remember – bees like these fruits too! While bees in your gardens are just as important to pollination as butterflies, not everyone wants them buzzing around so, keep that in mind if you set these out!