 Planting a butterfly garden is not only fun and educational for you and your family, but also contributes towards the conservation of local species.
Start by learning the butterfly species in your area and grow the plants the caterpillars like to eat and the adult butterflies like to feed on. You can find out about the species in your region by looking in books about butterflies and their habitats.
Plant a variety of different butterfly attracting plants as the various species have different tastes and the more varieties of plants you have, the more variety of species you will attract. Plants with varying bloom cycles will ensure an endless stream of activity. Clump your plants by species and colour. As butterflies search for food, they will see large splashes of colour more easily than the small points of individual flowers.
 You can visit your local nursery and purchase the seeds or seedlings to be planted. You can ask the owner to supply you with some plants that attract butterflies in your area or you can purchase a mixed packet of seeds especially put together for a bird and butterfly garden. If you plant the seeds directly into your flower bed, remember that small seeds are a great food source for ants and you may lose some to these opportunists. An alternative is to buy a seedling box in which you can plant your seeds with some potting soil and once the seedlings are big enough, transplant them into the flower bed.
Butterflies love to bask in the sun on a hot day and when it is cold and raining, they seek shelter. Position your butterfly garden near to an open sunny area surrounded by protective trees and shrubs. A good idea is to maintain a damp, slightly salty area for them as they suck fluids from wet soil to obtain water and salts.
Remember some caterpillars have stinging hairs which can cause pain. If you have small children, you need to teach them not to touch the caterpillars and supervise them in the garden when there are caterpillars about.
Once the garden is established you can enjoy identifying the various visitors you get as well as the beautiful flowers that attracts them.
Butterfly Book:
Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa is designed for easy, rapid identification of all butterflies likely to be seen in South Africa. Following a worldwide trend to butterfly watching, readers are encouraged to observe behaviour rather than collect specimens. A detailed introductory section discusses butterfly biology, behaviour and anatomy, and butterfly families and subfamilies. A comprehensive section on individual butterfly species supplies a wealth of information - scientific and English common names, information on flight periods and numbers of broods, behavioural traits and differentiation from similar species, as well as notes on size, geographical distribution and larval food sources.
Butterfly Colouring In:
National Geographic - A picture of Monarch butterflies for colouring in.
ABC Teach - A picture of a butterfly to colour in.
Butterfly Life Cycle:
Enchanted Learning - A Painted Lady Butterfly life cycle.
About the author:
Cara Mullin, a successful internet entrepreneur, is founder and owner of www.kidzworld.co.za, an online resource directory and magazine for parents.
Reposted: 7 September 2010
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Plant a butterfly garden