Brightly colored butterflies can be a welcome addition to your wildlife garden, not only because of their beauty, but also because of their usefulness in pollinating flowers.
Attracting butterflies involves incorporating plants that serve the needs of all life stages of the butterfly. The insects need places to lay eggs, food plants for their larvae (caterpillars), places to form chrysalides and nectar sources for adults. The wise gardener selects an assortment of flowering plants with overlapping blooming periods.
Plant a butterfly and hummingbird garden and they will come. Lure butterflies right into your own yard so that you can savor them. You'll first notice the big, showy swallowtails, but actually most butterflies are tiny and easily overlooked.
Providing water adds another enticement into your yard. If using hummingbird feeders, be sure to keep them clean!
Orioles in the Garden
Expert tips on how to attract Orioles to your backyard!
Use the same nectar recipe for orioles as you do for hummingbirds-four parts boiled water to one part sugar. Keep nectar fresh, and don’t use food coloring.
These birds are attracted to the color orange, so look for a sugar-water feeder specifically designed for orioles.
Make sure your feeder has large enough perches and drinking ports. It’s not unusual for orioles to try hummingbird feeders, but their bills are often too big. Orioles love the color and taste of oranges. Offer orange halves on a branch or feeder. Orioles will also eat grape jelly. Serve the jelly in an open dish or cup, and keep it fresh.
When placing the oriole feeder in your yard, think like a bird. Instead of hiding the feeder under an awning or tree, put it out in the open so the birds can see it while flying overhead.
Hang your feeder near a birdbath. If your bath has a bubbler, even better. Orioles love the sight and sound of moving water.
Put out yarn and string. Orioles and other backyard songbirds will use it for their nests.
If you don’t attract orioles in your first year, keep at it. It often takes several seasons to find a following.