FUN WORLD

Butterfly gardening works on a simple rule - butterflies feed on nectar and hence providing lots of nectar producing flowers will attract the butterflies to your garden. In addition to this, the butterflies are very specific about the plants on which they lay their eggs, and hence if you wish to multiply the butterfly population, you must provide the butterflies with enough host plants to lay the eggs on. Identifying a butterfly species will help you to find out their host plants and can help you expand your butterfly garden.

If you thought butterfly gardening is a process that involves trapping butterflies in a closed atmosphere then you are wrong. Butterfly gardening is actually a very healthy way to support the propagation of butterflies by making specialized flowerbeds and inviting the butterflies to make it their dwelling. Creating a butterfly garden is known to maximize the butterfly diversity and abundance and helps to conserve rare and endangered species and promotes environmental education.

While setting up a butterfly garden you should plan it in such a way that there are blooms all year round to entice the butterflies throughout the year. For spring flowers you can choose rhododendrons, azaleas and lilacs, while summer blooming plants can include the buddleias and asclepias and when the fall arrives, the butterflies can enjoy the asters and autumn joy sedum. Butterfly Milkweed is also great for attracting butterflies as well as for feeding the caterpillars. In order to identify butterfly species and their compatible flowers and host plants, you can always refer to relevant books or even try and search the web resources to find out more information.

While setting up a butterfly garden you should always remember that since butterflies are cold blooded and hence require warmth which they acquire by basking in the sunlight hence if you are planning to set up a butterfly garden choose an area that has abundant sunlight. Butterflies cannot sustain strong gusts of winds and hence prefer areas that are adequately protected from strong winds, hence pick an area that is not very windy or else add a protective fence, wall, or a hedge, which will ensure your butterfly garden, is safe from the strong winds.