Landscaping & Gardening Information

Butterfly House in the Flower Garden


Whenever you decide to look for a butterfly house for your flower garden, you first have to determine what it is you actually want. A search for butterfly houses will yield two different types. There is the type of butterfly house that contains butterflies and their nectar plants. These type of butterfly houses are actually structures created for the specific reason of providing a safe and enclosed space in which to study the butterflies.

It can vary from a playpen-size for individual study to a medium-sized net-drapped area to large green house-like structure for scientists' study. We even have large enclosures open for public viewing, education and delight. If you find this a delightful prospect to walk in a large "cage" with hundreds of butterflies surrounding you, consult your local museums and zoos for information. This being the information age, check online too.

As part of your children's, or your own, education, you may wish to raise some butterflies from caterpillar in a small butterfly house. Live butterfly kits are readily available and come with all you need to raise the caterpillar to a butterfly, usually a Painted Lady. Of course you may be able to collect the eggs from your own garden and raise them in your own home for your education and enjoyment. Please find a proper resource to guide you in this prospect if you should choose to do so.

You may also wish to create your own butterfly house of this type in your own flower garden. This can be done by means of mosquito netting drapped over an easily portable structure such as a light weight greenhouse structure or some type of tall stakes. Just surround whatever flowers are providing the nectar source at the present time. Don't forget the small puddles as water sources for the butterflies, too.

The second type of butterfly house is actually a hibernation box. It is usually a tall, 6 inch diameter box mounted on a post which is then set into your garden. The front of the box has half inch slots through which the butterflies can enter the house. The front also swings open to allow you to place some twigs or, preferably, some rough bark within the house. This allows the butterflies a good gripping surface.

Place the box near some host plants for the type of butterflies in your area. This will provide incentive for the butterflies to lay eggs on the host plants in your flower garden in the spring.

The top of the butterfly house may be opened so you may observe the hibernating butterflies and record the numbers and types of your hibernating guests. If you are very lucky, on a warm winter's day, one of your guest may actually step out of the butterfly house. If this occurs, sugar water or home-grown flowers may keep it occupied until the day starts to cool. At which time, the butterfly will make its way back into the butterfly house in your flower garden.

© 2005, Sandra Dinkins-Wilson

Find more butterfly garden articles and gardening tips for Flower Garden Lovers at our informative website.


MORE RESOURCES:

Calendar for Nov. 20
Milpitas Post, CA - Nov 19, 2008
... event planning, facilities planning, fundraising, grant writing, graphic design, and landscaping/gardening. The Wildlife Center, located in San Jose, ...


National City Bank lobbies closing Thursday for volunteer effort
TCPalm, FL - Nov 12, 2008
Employees will emerge from their desks and cubicles and spend the afternoon engaging in activities such as landscaping, gardening and painting. ...


Courier Reports Fourth-Quarter and Year-end Results
MarketWatch - Nov 6, 2008
... books and study guides; and Creative Homeowner, a publisher and distributor of books on home design, decorating, landscaping, gardening and crafts. ...


National City employees reach out in Paint Your Heart Out program
Palm Beach Daily News, FL - Nov 13, 2008
... County Thursday while employees took part in charitable tasks at various locations from 1 to 5 pm Tasks included landscaping, gardening and painting. ...


Roses & Raspberries
Battle Creek Enquirer, MI - Nov 15, 2008
Janet is closing her business after 13 years serving the Battle Creek landscaping, gardening and birding communities. We will miss you! ...


National City bank employees to volunteer at Treasure Coast agencies
Fort Pierce Tribune, FL - Nov 1, 2008
Employees will be engaged in a wide variety of charitable tasks, including outdoor and indoor projects such as landscaping, gardening, painting and other ...
National City employees to volunteer along the Treasure Coast Nov. 13 TCPalm
all 8 news articles


Thursday is Community Appreciation Day at Treasure Coast National ...
Stuart News (subscription), FL - Nov 10, 2008
National City employees will be engaged in a variety of tasks, including projects such as landscaping, gardening, painting, helping children with homework ...


John Henry Miller
Escanaba Daily Press, MI - Oct 29, 2008
After retirement in 1980, he and Gerd moved to the hills of Pennsylvania were he occupied himself with landscaping, gardening, tinkering and woodworking on ...


Garden Fair set
Haleakala Times, HI - Oct 29, 2008
Experts will be available to answer landscaping, gardening and tree questions. There will be booths representing the landscape industry, tree-friendly ...

Landscaping-Gardening - Google News

home | site map
© 2006