Butterfly Garden Oasis
There is nothing more rewarding than planting your own oasis for butterflies
Are you interested in inviting butterflies to your yard, school grounds, or patio?
Here are 5 steps to making your very own Butterfly Garden Oasis
Plant native nectar-rich flowers
(Check with your local garden center or cooperative extension to find out which are native to your area)
Butterflies are attracted to red, yellow and orange brightly colored flowers
Butterflies like to feed in the sun so be sure your plants get morning to afternoon sun
Plant a variety of flowers with different blooming times so you have continuous blooms
Go organic (do not use pesticides)
2. Plant host plants
Host plants are plants for butterflies to lay their eggs on, attach their chrysalis to, and feed their larvae with
Dill, fennel, and milkweed are some common host plants
3. Create a rest area
Place flat stones in your garden area or near your planter for the butterflies to warm up their wings and bask in the sun
4. Make a Puddling Place
Butterflies often land on mud or wet sand to drink water and take in minerals & nutrients from the soil, so create a puddling place in your garden:
Dig a small depression in the soil and keep it moist with water
OR
Create a puddling place by filling a small clay saucer with sand and keep it moist
5. Add a Fruit Bar
Some butterflies love juicy overripe fruit
Add fruit to your butterfly garden in the morning to attract butterflies
Be sure to clean out the fruit to avoid unwanted creatures
Add a water moat around the fruit to keep ants away from the fruit
Do some research-
Is your home or school on the Butterfly Highway? The Monarch Butterfly’s journey takes them across many regions as they migrate in the fall and then back in spring. Check out a map and see if they pass by your area and if they do be sure your garden has the host plant-milkweed.
Check out the North Carolina Wildlife Federation site for more information on the Butterfly Highway
Have your yard/school grounds certified as a wildlife habitat at the NWF
Interested in being a citizen scientist, check out Monarch Watch
