butterfly boxes, butterfly box

Butterfly Gardens and Butterfly Boxes

The general requirements for using a butterfly box in a butterfly gardening are the following: an environment that is free of pesticides, lots of sun, plants that are a source of nectar, and knowing which fauna will attract the local butterflies in the area for the butterfly box.

Butterflies normally lay their eggs during the later part of spring. The eggs will hatch two to five days after they are laid. The caterpillar that emerges from butterfly boxes will pupate in about three or four weeks. The pupae will then become an adult butterfly in just eight to fifteen days later and will then leave the butterfly box.

It is advisable to plant more than one nectar source, which will encourage more butterflies to visit the butterfly box. It is also important to provide host plants in the butterfly box that give butterflies a place to lay their eggs. When the young butterflies hatch, they will most likely continue to stay in the butterfly boxes.

The best time to plant a garden for butterfly boxes is during the spring with younger plants or during the fall with older plants.

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