Especially on hot days in summer, additional feeding of butterflies can be of great importance. In this article you will discover simple recipes for butterfly food as well as tips for feeding stations.
Located in the heart of Austin, Texas' Zilker Metropolitan Park, the Zilker Botanical Garden offers a haven not only for plant lovers, but also for butterflies. Matt Morris, a City of Austin Parks & Recreation landscape technician, shares his expertise on the importance of additional food sources for these colorful insects.
The most important thing in brief
- Matt Morris’ Expertise:Expertise of a landscape technician.
- Food sources: Additional feeding is especially important in summer.
- Nectar recipes: Instructions for liquid nectar.
- fruit puree: Tips for making fruit puree.
- Whole fruit: Use of fresh fruits as feed.
- Feeding stations: Tips for optimal setup.
- Undesirables guests: Dealing with ants and other insects.
Importance of additional food sources
Butterflies do not rely exclusively on flower nectar; They also feed on other natural sources such as tree sap, honeydew, overripe fruit, animal dung, carrion and mud. These natural sources are rich in proteins and amino acids, which are essential for butterflies' nutrition. In both urban and rural areas, highly developed areas or excessive use of pesticides and agricultural monocultures can deplete natural nectar sources and host plants. Additional feeders in your garden can therefore attract and support a wide range of butterfly species.
Instructions for making butterfly food
To provide butterflies with an additional source of food, you can choose between three types of food:liquid nectar, fruit puree and whole fruits.
Liquid nectar
Liquid feeders can easily be filled with the “nectar” of your choice. Plates can be used for this type of feeder. An interesting variant is to soak a sponge or a section of rope with the nectar solution, which can then be placed on a plate or in a bowl. Feeders specifically designed for butterflies are also a good choice.
Here is a simple guide to make butterfly nectar:
- 900 grams fructose (alternatively white cane sugar)
- 2 cups of water
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
These ingredients are boiled to dissolve the sugars and then the mixture is allowed to cool slightly. Then the soy sauce is added. The resulting solution should be viscous but still pourable. Once cooled, this solution can be bottled and stored. Use 1 part of the concentrate mixed with 9 parts of water to prepare the nectar. This mixture lasts for a long time even without a refrigerator.
This sugar water should be offered in a clean feeder that is cleaned every few days with hot water and a mild bleach solution (10%) to prevent mold growth.
fruit puree
Mash feeders can be made of various materials such as glass, ceramic, plastic or terracotta and must be able to hold a small amount of liquid. One option is to soak sponges with the attractant and then hang them from the tips of branches.
Mash recipe:
- 450 grams of sugar
- 1 or 2 cans of stale beer
- 3 mashed overripe bananas
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 cup fruit juice
This mixture will be more effective if it is fermented for a few days before using. To do this, put the ingredients in a container, but do not seal it airtight and leave it in the garage for a day or two.
Whole fruits
Fruit feeders can be easily made using a ceramic or glass pie plate or a plastic or terracotta tray.Do butterflies eat bananas? Yes gladly!Other commonly used fruits include watermelon, pears, peaches, figs, cantaloupes, oranges, nectarines, pineapples, plums, strawberries and apples. Almost any fruit will do, but they prefer overripe or rotting fruit.
Tips for setting up feeding stations
Feeders should be strategically placed to effectively attract butterflies. Use bright colors such as red, orange, yellow, blue and purple at feeders as they are particularly attracted to these colors. Since butterflies taste with their feet, it is important that they have direct contact with the food solution. This can stimulate the uncurling of their trunk and thus food intake.
Would you like to learn more about how you can design your own feeding stations? Read our post on DIY feeding stationshere.
Dealing with unwanted guests
It's possible that feeding stations also attract unwanted animals like squirrels, raccoons, or opossums. To avoid this, you can remove the feeders at night.
Also watch out for insects such as ants, cockroaches and wasps, which can also be attracted to the stations. Hanging feeders from a tree branch or under the eaves of a home can avoid many of these problems.
Wasps, bees, certain types of beetles, and other flying insects may occasionally visit your feeders, but should not be considered a problem unless they accumulate in such quantities that the butterflies cannot access the food. If you find that your feeder is becoming overrun with problem insects, you can try removing the feeder for a few days so that the insects are forced to find another food source.
Creating additional food sources for butterflies is an important step in promoting biodiversity. With this information and tips you can effectively help support the insects in your garden or on your balcony and promote their diversity and health.
Reference:Supplementary Feeding for Butterflies, Matt Morris (Landscape Technician) / City of Austin, Parks & Recreation
