Your Hummingbird Nectar Could Be Attracting Another Garden Friend To Your Yard

If you add a hummingbird feeder to your yard or garden, you may find that you get more than you bargained for — it might start attracting other types of pollinators as well. Some types of butterflies, for example, will also be attracted to the nectar in hummingbird feeders, although not to the same extent as hummingbirds. Fortunately, it can be helpful to attract butterflies to your garden since they'll also help pollinate plants and flowers. 

While the nectar in a hummingbird feeder will naturally attract some butterflies, it isn't ideal for them. Butterflies prefer a nectar mix that's a bit weaker than what hummingbirds like. If you're specifically trying to attract butterflies to your yard or garden, dilute the nectar solution significantly for best results: You'll want to make a 10% nectar solution that is one part sugar and ten parts water. (Hummingbird nectar is usually one part sugar to four parts water.)  Once you've added this nectar to the feeders, butterflies will be more likely to use it.

Keep in mind that there's more than one type of feeder you can use when trying to attract and feed butterflies. Either store-bought or DIY hummingbird nectar feeders can work well, but a simple saucer or plate can also be used. You'll want to hang up or place the feeder on a platform and then add a food that butterflies like. Some rotting or overripe fruit is the simplest option — a mashed banana works particularly well for these pollinators, but you can also use oranges, pineapple, melons, pears, berries, and other fruits. To make the banana even more appetizing, consider adding it to water and mixing the fruit into a paste — this will make it easier for butterflies to eat.

Another types of feeder you can use is a sponge feeder. Soak the sponge with a nectar solution, then simply tie a string around the middle of a dish sponge and hang it up outside. Alternatively, you can spray it with the solution while it's in place. 

If you have a clear goal of wanting to attract butterflies to your yard or garden, there are more ways to do it than just using a feeder. Certain plants will fill your garden with butterflies. They particularly like flowers that they can easily rest on and pollinate; aster, ironweed, goldenrod, and coneflowers are among their favorites. Host plants are also useful for butterflies. A plant such as milkweed will give a butterfly a place to lay eggs and can be eaten by caterpillars. There are many varieties of milkweed that butterflies absolutely love, and the plant is an especially good choice for attracting monarch butterflies. Butterfly species vary, however, so you should find out the kind of plants that the desired caterpillars in your area eat and plan accordingly.

You can also provide rest to butterflies in the form of flat stones as well as bushy plants. Also, consider providing an area for butterfly puddling. Butterflies like mud, and providing them with a "puddler" can give them a chance to experience it in all its glory. To make a simple puddler, fill a shallow bowl with two to three inches of mud, compost, or sand and then narrowly cover it with water. This will allow them to drink water and get needed minerals.