Attracting Butterflies to Your Wildlife Garden

I had the honor of writing a guest post for the always delightful Marghanita Hughes of Little Humbugs.

Here you’ll find my thoughts on attracting more butterflies to your wildlife garden, which is a great way to get children involved in the magic of nature and wildlife gardening.

While you’re there, spend some time looking around Marghanita’s site. She brings the characters from her childrens book series to life in a dramatic and vivid way.

Attracting butterflies to a garden is a fun and educational activity for kids! Here are some steps children can take to encourage these beautiful insects to visit:

Plant a variety of flowers: Butterflies love nectar from flowers, so planting a variety of flowers in different colors, shapes, and sizes will attract a wider range of butterfly species. Some good choices include zinnias, daisies, petunias, and cosmos.

Create a safe place for caterpillars: Butterflies lay their eggs on plants, and caterpillars emerge from these eggs to feed on the plants. Encourage your child to create a special area in the garden for caterpillars, where they can safely munch away without being disturbed.

Provide a source of water: Butterflies need water to drink, just like any other living creature. A shallow dish filled with pebbles and water will provide a safe place for butterflies to drink.

Avoid using pesticides: Pesticides can harm butterflies and other beneficial insects. Encourage your child to use natural methods, like companion planting or hand-picking, to control garden pests.

Watch and learn: Encourage your child to observe the butterflies that visit the garden. They can keep a journal to record the different species they see, and learn about their life cycles, behavior, and migration patterns.

These are just a few of the many ways children can help attract butterflies to their garden. By participating in this fun and educational activity, they’ll not only learn about these fascinating insects, but they’ll also play an important role in conserving wildlife and promoting biodiversity.