Attracting Butterflies and Hummingbirds

[Guest guest]

Attracting Butterflies and Hummingbirds

By Brenda Hyde

Attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to our yards and gardens is

often science mixed with a little luck. I've ran into people who

plant everything they believe will work, only to find a neighbor or

family member that does nothing special and has these wonderful

creatures flitting around daily. My mom puts out her hummingbird

feeders each May and they love to visit her all summer long. I on the

other hand am still searching for the trick she must be hiding from

me. (Just kidding Mom!)

 

First, a couple of general tips. Insecticides and chemicals may keep

pests away but will often keep butterflies away or harm them, and

often kill the caterpillars that become butterflies. Also, sometimes

the neat and well manicured gardens don't attract butterflies as well

as allowing a little bit of a cottage garden look to your yard beds.

One option is to have areas that you keep neatly landscaped, but

other sections that you consider wildlife gardens. Both can be

beautiful additions!

 

Some plants that attract butterflies are: asters, butterfly bush

(buddleia davidii), butterfly plant (asclepias tuberosa), cosmos,

gaillardia, lilac, marigold, sunflowers, sweet peas, verbena and

zinnias.

 

As you can see some are larger shrubs, but there are also flowers

that can easily be planted in the same bed or area. Herbs such a bee

balm, dill, fennel and parsley are butterfly plants too, but if you

use them in for this purpose mix them in with the flowers and don't

consider them as part of your kitchen garden, since the butterflies

will munch them.

 

Many of the same tips apply to hummingbirds as to butterflies.

Insecticides should be avoided because many times hummingbirds are

looking for tiny insects to eat, and you don't want to kill those

types off, not to mention the potential for harming the birds

themselves.

 

Hummingbirds are attracted to some of the same plants. They like

red, pink and orange. Impatients, salvia, lilies, trumpet vine,

morning glories, hosta, four 'clocks, lupine, yukka, columbine,

foxglove, coral bells, fuchsia, petunia and bee balm are some plants

to start with. Do you see a pattern? These flowers have what I think

of as " tubes " that the birds can drink the nectar from.

 

There is no need to buy nectar. You can make it by placing 1 part

white sugar and 4 parts water into a pan and boiling it for 2

minutes. Cool completely and fill feeders 1/2 way or so. NEVER use

honey or other sweeteners. There is no need to use red food coloring-

in fact it could even be harmful. Use feeders that have red on them

and that should be enough.

 

Rinse and clean your feeders every 2-3 days in hot weather. If you

see any mold (black spots) scrub them using a bottle brush or

toothbrush. Add salt or sand to parts you can't reach with hot water

and try shaking to remove. Apply petroleum jelly to the

string/plastic that the feeder hangs from to help keep the ants out.

Use your feeders with the flowers to really get the most enjoyment.

Place them in different spots around the yard so they " work " with the

flowers.