Butterfly Feeder.

[rootball]

Hi everyone.

I intending to make a butterfly feeder from an empty sauce bottle, the ones with a pointed nozzle/top. With a sponge pushed into the opening of the top for butterflies to drink/feed from.

Q1: is sponge the best thing to use?
Q2: what sugar/water mix is best to put in it. Or should I be looking to use something other than sugar?

Thanks
R

[Nicos]

That’s an interesting project! I make sure my butterflies have water, but never really thought about feeding them.
Interesting thread.

I’ve just had a wander around the tinternet and come up with a few different approaches, so perhaps you could pinch ideas off these- and indeed other sites if no one on here can? ( I’m thinking mothhawk could advise?)

WWF suggest cotton wool but don’t comment on the sugar syrup concentration ( I like the idea of brightly coloured petals)
https://www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default...vity_Sheet.pdf

Scottish wildlife trust suggest a sponge and 1 part sugar: 4 parts warm water…plus leaving brightly coloured objects nearby to attract them.
https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk...terfly-feeder/

RSPCA suggests using drip feeders, 1:10 sugar: water ratio and the use of UV pens to attract the butterflies…
https://www.rspca.org.uk/documents/1...=1555167655870

None seem suggest how often it should be replaced/ cleaned etc

I guess nothing is as good as the real thing , but no harm in giving a helping hand!

Let us know how you get on with this will you please?

[rootball]

Nicos, Thank you so much for your hard work finding the sites.

Has helped me better think what is needed and what other things will help.

Being a bit of an upcycle (ist) i already have some used plastic milk bottles cut into leaf shapes, thinking if painted and added to different areas of the garden, making an areas of interest and now possible part of the butterfly feeder.

seems I will need to check on sugar water mix, 1:4 and 1:10 is a big difference.

Thank you so much
R

[Nicos]

I enjoyed researching it rootball!…my pleasure!

Let us know what you find out about the ratio…hopefully this thread of yours will encourage others to have a go at making some!

[rootball]

Had a look and seems where i have looked shows the sugar water mix as 1:4 and 1:10 so looks like i will need to do some testing and see how it goes.

One thing i did find, is adding 1 tbsp Soya Sauce Regular, not low salt/sodium.

Quote from site:

"The reason it’s added is that soya sauce is full of salts that are vital to helping butterflies survive. Male butterflies need salt to replenish lost nutrients when mating.

Adding the soya sauce gives them a natural salt boost when drinking the nectar"

I found that very interesting

[mothhawk]

I know nothing about feeding butterflies, I'm afraid, I do know that a lot of species like blackberry flowers, and as there are masses of blackberries in the hedges around here that's where I see a lot of butterflies.

As to dilution rates, nectar is about 80% water, 20% sugar, which is a 1:4 ratio. So probably anything weaker, e.g. the 1:10, would not be as attractive. (Honey bees will reduce that down to 17% water, an amazing job of hard work!)

One caveat about feeding sugar syrup - wasps also adore it, so don't put your feeder too close to the house.

[rootball]

I know nothing about feeding butterflies, I'm afraid, I do know that a lot of species like blackberry flowers, and as there are masses of blackberries in the hedges around here that's where I see a lot of butterflies.

As to dilution rates, nectar is about 80% water, 20% sugar, which is a 1:4 ratio. So probably anything weaker, e.g. the 1:10, would not be as attractive. (Honey bees will reduce that down to 17% water, an amazing job of hard work!)

One caveat about feeding sugar syrup - wasps also adore it, so don't put your feeder too close to the house.

Hi mothhawk. Thank you so much for your reply.

With your very informative reply i now know to use the 1:4 mix. Also thanks for the warning about wasps..

I do have blackberries growing in my garden which are just starting to form fruit, still have flowers on them too.

Thanks,
R

[rootball]

First try at the feeder. Still need work. Will put it into a dish with maybe fruit and water with bright coloured things to get the butterflies interested.

I will use a sponge in the middle (empty coffee jar lid) with the sugar/water mix and not a bottle that i was first thinking of using.

Trying to work out what paint i should use to make the white a bright red or other butterfly friendly colours.

As i say its a first go so still needs work.