Hello!

It's very fun to attract butterflies. You might want to include lots of nectar producing flowers. Butterfly bushes, zinnias, cosmos, liatris. There are tons and tons. There is a listing of nectar-producing plants in the FAQ. Also, if you are at a garden store, they usually have "attracts butterflies" on the tag. This is a sure sign that it probably produces nectar.

The other thing you can do is plant host plants for the butterflies to lay their eggs on. When the caterpillars hatch, they will eat the plants, but it is a sure way to attract butterflies to your yard. There are so many different host plants. Each one is specific to particular butterflies. First, figure out what kind of butterfly you would most like to attract, then plant its host plant. Butterflies, usually have a general area they live in. So, be sure the butterflies you want to attract live where you live. Then, you can check the FAQ to figure out its host plant. With the nectar plants too, the butterflies will be sure to come.

Elaine

I hate to disappoint you about your butterfly house, but they are practically useless in attracting butterflies. Butterflies don't use them to shelter in, much preferring the shade of shrubs, trees, etc.

But don't let that stop you from using it as garden art! I've seen some that are cute as anything. Maybe that's what you had in mind, all the time, anyway?

I've attached a link to one of MANY web sites that will help you with your new butterfly garden. You'll have fun deciding what kinds of plants to use.

My perennial garden does not include host plants, because I have a very large interest in birds. I keep a bird bath and one feeder in the bed, as a matter of fact. Sure don't want to temp the birds with loads of delectable caterpillars! Yikes. I think my fellow Butterfly Forum pals would have me arrested or something, lol. (On the ground! Put you hands behind your back!)

But the moth and butterfly activity is pretty awesome! They really swarm many of those plants.

Do visit the FAQ section in this forum. You'll find it in the menu at the top of the title page of this forum. Not too much reading, I promise. ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Check this out!

You are in Ohio, so you probably get some Monarchs. Their host plant is milkweed (asclepias).

You probably also get black swallowtails, and their host plants are things like dill, fennel, parsley, Rue (anything in the apiaceae family generally speaking).

If you find and plant Rue (it is perennial), you may get some giant swallowtails. Don't know if they wander up that far or not.

For sure, you probably get tiger swallowtails. However, their host plants are mostly trees, like ptelea trifoliata (hop tree), cottonwoods, etc.

I've attached a link to butterflies found in Ohio. Check it out and check out the host plants for them so you can plant accordingly.

Welcome to butterflying!

Susan

Here is a link that might be useful: Ohio Butterflies

Here's a link to the book I wrote about the subject.

It's a free download.

http://www.butterflygardening.org/html/free.html

Best of luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: Free Book

Thanks so much everyone, I feel like I can get started now. rizo brings up a good point I had not thought about. I have a lot of birds in my yard, which I like. If I attract butterflies am I just providing the birds with lots of "food"? and killing my chances of growing butterflies? Has anyone had any success with the butterfly houses? I will use mine as a artistic focal point, but is there anything I can do to make it usable to the butterflies? My butterfly garden will be small as I don't have a big area to work with so I want to provide as much food, shelter etc. as I can in as small a space as possible. All the links are great! butterflyman, Your book is wonderful thanks for the free copy! I'll keep posting on my progress.

I've heard that the butterfly houses attract wasps as well. They may be useful for overwintering butterflies like the Mourning Cloaks and Goatweed Leafwings if you have those butterflies in your area.

Butterflyman - looks like a great book!

Susan

cateyanne, attracting butterfly and moth ADULTS is quite different from making sure that you have the proper host plants available so that they will also lay eggs. The eggs will hatch and turn into caterpillars...and on and on goes the cycle. I garden to attract butterflies and moths but not to provide food for caterpillars. As you begin to learn, you'll see that most butterflies and moths are VERY specific upon which plants they will deposit eggs; I avoid those.

It is the caterpillers that birds will be interested in, not the adults. I devote the garden space to plants which provide a food source for the adults....which would be nectar from a wide variety of flowering plants.

Thanks rizo, I get it. I was thinking I couldn't have butterflies without also making a home for caterpillars. this does make it a bit easier to think about. thanks for posting.