A friend gave me a butterfly house for my birthday. I just love it. I had thought they were pretty and would probably bought one myself at some point. I put the twigs and bark in it like the instructions said and put it in shade but have my doubts that it will be used. I feel like they're more decoration than useful. Does anyone else have one or know if butterflies actually use them? I asked at WBU once and was told that they might go in it to rest. I felt like she was telling me that more so that I would buy it than being truthful. I don't care if they use it but am just curious.

I'm going to buy a butterfly feeder too. Susan Maria, like you, I had thought they were a little silly. You seem to be seeing quite a few butterflies using yours though, so for at least the second or third time I will be copying you on something. Thank goodness you don't live near me or you could be getting quite irritated by now!

Susan Maria, I have not seen the goldfinch take the cotton from my ball, although I haven't been sitting on the porch much since I hung it. I do find cottony stuff in the yard under the ball though. Do you find it under yours? Does this mean they're using it?

Carol

Carol R
Tennessee
USDA Hardiness Zone 7
Heat Zone 7

Hello Carol,

Who is Susan Maria?
Well, about the butterfly houses...if I ever get one, it'll just be for decoration in our garden. I won't be getting one this year...maybe next year. Here's an extensive a link to loads of info about them. When you open the link, it will look like it's only a couple of paragraphs long, but there is a scroll bar on the right so you can read further for more info...
http://butterflywebsite.com/articles/showarticle.cfm?ID=27

About the balls of cotton...
Hmmmm...no, we don't have fluff on the ground here. I have no clue to why that's happening...sorry.
I'd love to sit and watch to see why that is happening...
Maybe this weekend you'll be lucky enough to see what's happening. Our female Goldfinches seem to be able to clench onto their fluff in their beaks without losing them as they fly away. I just don't know Carol...

I hope you'll post some pics of your butterfly visitors soon!!!!

Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

Susan Louise,

I apologize for calling you Susan Maria! She's someone I know on a forum about my dogs. I've started to call you that before but corrected myself!

I haven't taken any pictures yet of birds or butterflies. I usually just watch everything from my screened in porch. I guess I need to grab a chair and sit in the grass with my camera. It's frustrating to me, too, as I haven't made any progress on learning the different butterfly species since I'm not really sitting outside with them.

I guess I need to keep an eye on the tree with the "fluff" too.

Carol

Carol R
Tennessee
USDA Hardiness Zone 7
Heat Zone 7

Personally, I don't think the houses do much more than are aesthetic additions to gardens.

As for feeders? I know of a number of people who mix up a solution with mashed banana and beer and whatnot to put out for butterflies but I don't do this. I just leave them to the flowers. IF I do go out to eat and I get watermelon as a side dish, I bring it home and leave it out because I have found that some of the butterflies will come and 'nectar' off of it, though...