How to attract butterflies to your garden

Butterflies are a common sight in gardens, but several species are in decline as they battle habitat loss.Here are some simple steps you can take to make your garden, patio or windowsill a little more homely for visiting butterflies, and encourage them to move in permanently. Add A Butterfly House We’re all familiar with the bug hotel and have seen plenty of bird box ideas, however, you might be less familiar with the butterfly box. This box is a great and easy way to learn how to attract butterflies to your garden. The butterfly box is similar to a traditional … Read more

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what do monarch butterflies eat

  What Do Monarch Butterflies Eat?   Monarchs eat several times a day to keep their energy up, though if food is scarce or the weather is bad, they can go a day or so without food. These butterflies mainly eat nectar from flowers. Most people associate monarchs with milkweed, and it’s true that their caterpillars dine exclusively on the leaves of these plants. Adult monarchs, however, will eat from a wide array of nectar plants, including the flowers of milkweed. Other favorite monarch flowers include sunflower, coneflower, ironweed, zinnia, lantana, penta, salvia, and many more.   Do Monarch Butterflies Eat Fruit?   Sometimes … Read more

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monarch butterflies

Brimstone | Common brimstone

Gonepteryx rhamni, commonly named the common brimstone, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It lives throughout the Palearctic zone and is commonly found across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Across much of its range, it is the only species of its genus, and is therefore simply known locally as the brimstone. Its wing span size is 60–74 mm (2.4–2.9 in). It should not be confused with the brimstone moth Opisthograptis luteolata. The brimstone relies on two species of buckthorn plants as host plants for its larvae; this influences its geographic range and distribution, as these plants are commonly found … Read more

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Common brimstone

how long do monarch butterflies live

Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle   Monarch butterflies go through four stages during one life cycle and through four generations in one year. The four stages of the monarch butterfly life cycle are the egg, the larvae (caterpillar), the pupa (chrysalis), and the adult butterfly. The four generations are actually four different butterflies going through these four stages during one year, until it is time to start over again with stage one and generation one.   In February and March, the final generation of hibernating monarch butterflies comes out of hibernation to find a mate. They then migrate north and east in order … Read more

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monarch butterflies

Butterfly Diet:What do butterflies eat?

Butterflies should eat what food, diet is very curious, butterflies always look very beautiful when they are fluttering. Unfortunately, we can no longer see such flocks of butterflies, and sometimes I still feel very nostalgic when I think about it. However, in order to be able to see the appearance of flocks of butterflies when I was a child, many farmers are now breeding butterflies in bulk, most of them are put into the butterfly garden to go, so now butterflies are still very popular. Have you ever wondered what those happily fluttering butterflies are up to in your backyard … Read more

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butterfly habitat

Butterfly Habitat Essentials   In the warm summer months it’s easy to tell the gardens that are the serious butterfly attractors. Where butterflies abound, it’s usually not by chance. They’re attracted by specific elements, all which can easily be added to any garden.   Butterflies need nectar throughout their life but adults feed primarily in sunny areas. They are most attracted to brightly colored flowers in hues of red, orange, yellow, purple and pink for this food source. Flowers with flat tops make good landing pads and short flower tubes make easier access to nectar. Good tried and true examples of sun-loving … Read more

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Butterfly species

  There are more than 160,000 species of butterfly around the world, learn more about this iconic insect.   Why butterflies matter   Butterflies conjure up images of sunshine, the warmth and colour of flowery meadows, and summer gardens teaming with life. Sadly, four butterflies became extinct during the last 150 years. Three-quarters of British butterflies are in decline.   The 56 species in Britain and Ireland are under threat today from unprecedented environmental change. Butterflies and moths have been recognised by the Government as indicators of biodiversity. Their fragility makes them quick to react to change so their struggle to survive is a … Read more

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All about butterflies

What is a butterfly? Butterflies are the adult flying stage of certain insects belonging to an order or group called Lepidoptera. Moths also belong to this group. The word “Lepidoptera” means “scaly wings” in Greek. This name perfectly suits the insects in this group because their wings are covered with thousands of tiny scales overlapping in rows. The scales, which are arranged in colorful designs unique to each species, are what gives the butterfly its beauty.Like all other insects, butterflies have six legs and three main body parts: head, thorax (chest or mid section) and abdomen (tail end). They also … Read more

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