![]() ![]() If you’ve ever been curious what it is they like so much about sugar “Like butterflies to sugar water.” They don’t so much, “Eat,” it as they doĭrink it. Something, “Like flies to honey,” but another way you could word it would be, “They are all so interesting.Butterflies And Sugar Water Make Quite the Combo ![]() “Trying to say you have a favorite species of butterfly is like saying you have a favorite child. Butterflies play an important role in the food chain by providing a food source for other animals including birds, spiders, lizards, and small mammals.įrom the Monarch to the Painted Lady, Mikula loves them all. Other adult butterfly species drink the liquids from rotting fruit, carrion, or animal excrement, thus ridding the environment of waste. Some caterpillars also eat seed pods, which helps keep certain plant species from propagating out of control. They are pollinators that aid in the reproduction of flowering plants and act as a natural pest control in their caterpillar stage by eating pest species such as aphids. Not only are butterflies beautiful, but they are also beneficial to the environment. “Avoid using honey or honey water in the feeder, which can crystallize in their gut and kill them.” It doesn’t turn into crystals after it is ingested by butterflies,” he said. “Sugar is a quick energy source for butterflies and easy for them to digest. Sugar is an ideal ingredient for a butterfly feeder because it is very similar to the nectar produced by flowers, according to Mikula. If you mount the cup on a post about three or four feet off the ground, it will keep ants out and make it easier to watch the butterflies.” “They find everything by scent, so that’s why you want to put your cup near flowers. ![]() “Butterflies are very nearsighted and must be within eight feet of the cup to see it,” Mikula said. The next step is to mount your cup on a post near your garden or flowerpots. “Then make a solution that is one teaspoon of sugar to ten teaspoons of water and pour it over the sponge in the cup.” The sponge should be yellow, red, or pink,” said Mikula. “First, take a plastic sponge for washing dishes and put it in a cup. He has also appeared on many television shows including Animal Planet and The Discovery Channel and has served as a consultant for CSI-Las Vegas. Mikula has written several books about butterflies, including the award winning “Family Butterfly Book,” and has been featured in People magazine. He is currently president of Butterfly Rescue International and is a co-founder and past president of the International Butterfly Breeders Association (IBBA). Mikula, also known as “ The Butterfly Guy ,” has been educating audiences of all ages about butterflies for over 43 years. About 575 known species occur regularly in the lower 48 states of the United States, 275 in Canada, and roughly 2,000 in Mexico.Ĭreating a butterfly feeder is simple and requires few materials, according to Rick Mikula of Hazleton, Pennsylvania. There are about 20,000 species of butterflies in the world, according to the North American Butterfly Association. Summer is not only for grilling and gardening, it is also the peak season for butterfly viewing! Whether you live in the town or country, real sugar from sugar beets and sugar cane can help you nourish and enjoy these captivating insects throughout the summer months. ![]()
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