If you can keep the building dehumidified that will help keep them away. We have them too sometimes, they stink! Now of course we have asian stinkbugs too, I would rather have the millipedes again. Not sure if chickens will eat them, but they love to eat anything smaller than them, I just saw my one rooster eating a mole- good riddance!

Absolutely they do! I've seen it happen in my garden. It was the Golden Crowned Sparrow that was the culprit. They particularly like the new growth. The first sign on the full grown plants I saw last year was tears in the leafs, but it didn't look like it was from pests. Then I witnessed the birds in action. The plants were well enough established that it had little impact overall. But then in March, when I was starting from seed this years Nasturtium, I found the birds eating off the tender new sprouts, and I knew they would never have a chance to survive, let alone thrive. Solution: I put netting over the sprouts to prevent the birds from getting them, and it worked. After plants had established themselves I removed the netting and I now have thriving plants. It seems that the Golden Crowned sparrows have moved on and everyone is happy. This post was edited by Dawnzig on Sun, Jun 1, 14 at 14:26

Birds will eat butterflies but it is not cost effective for them to do so. Butterflies look like lazy fliers but are actually very difficult to catch. Just head out with a net and see! Butterflies are built to be anti-bird,their 4 wing construction gives them on the dime turning ability. As stated before, some taste horrible (monarchs actually concentrate cardiac glycosides in their wings so a nibble will release them), and some even give off chemicals to ward off would be predators (monarchs do this too). The biggest predator of adult butterfies (as opposed to larva)are spiders. I believe crab spiders are the biggest, as they hide in flowers that bees and butterflies visit. Ever notice how there are pictures everywhere of a crab spider feeding on a butterfly? The birds will eat a lot of caterpillars. They will probably make a major switch from seed to larva in the spring when feeding youngsters. Mostly though, it is probably pest species they will feed on at this time. Many of which are found in large numbers (group feeding). A favorite of small birds are sawflies (not butterflies but the larva get confused with butterflies). So, feed away, but if you want to raise butterflies, best to bring some eggs in the house to watch and raise. Too many other boogie monsters besides birds that get the little ones. Cheers, Elisabeth

voodoobrew, I've tried liquidy bad fruit a few more times for my butterfly population on perfect weather days, and still just ants for me, too, while the butterflies went about their time at the flowers oblivious to my offering. I should keep trying, though, especially now that the hummingbirds are here too and might be interested.