I may be wrong but I was told butterflies eat the nectar from colorful blooms and then lay their eggs on the plants so the hatching caterpillars could eat the leaves. Thats why I have planted so many flowering plants to draw the butterflies. I also have that same bird feeder and turned it into a butterfly bath by putting some very fine sand in the basin and tucking it into the shrubbery with shelter from rain. It is incredible to see a butterfly take a sand bath.

lil

The Krohn Conservatory in Cin. uses what appears to be plastic dish scrapers (you know the ones, little balls of a plastic webbing similar to steel wool.) They put them in glass jars and add sugar water. I tried it out in the garden last summer, but didn't notice the butterflies paying much attention to it. The plastic gradually faded in the sun also.

I found out by accident this past summer that the butterflies would actually come to the bird bath that I had put big stones in for the birds to land since it was a little too deep. You could put colorful glass globs in too. It was really cool to see them there too!

mmqchdygg,

Butterflies do something that's called "puddling", so you can easily convert a shallow bird bath to a "butterfly puddler". All you need to do is get either very coarse sand or fine gravel and fill the bowl, then add water up to the top of the filler. I read that if you add a pinch or two of salt the males are very attracted to it. (I also read something about beer attracting them too, but don't think I'll try that!) Google "butterfly" and "puddling" and you should find more info. I plan to make a puddler of my own for next summer. Good luck!

I have a butterfly puddle in my garden. It's so exciting to watch them frolic in it. I used an old skillet with dirt, mixed in fruit juice, some manure tea and keep it moist. The mud enhances the male butterflys libido. i've also put quarter slices of real fruit out for them in the mud. i think this is good for male yellow jackets too!
Vickie