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by Kate Hofmann; art by Debbie Palen

WELCOME GARDEN

A butterfly garden is a place butterflies love to flutter to. It takes just a few things to make one in your yard. (No yard? How about a balcony, a window box, or your school grounds?)

Here's what you'll need:

• Nectar flowers. Plant colorful, sweet-smelling flowers with flat tops. Butterflies will come flocking to sip nectar.
  
  
• Host plants for caterpillars. Caterpillars grow up to be butterflies (or moths), so include some plants that caterpillars eat.
  
  
• Puddling areas. Fill a shallow pan with wet sand or mud. Butterflies may land here to collect minerals as they sip.
  
  
• Basking rocks. Add a few rocks to give butterflies a place to rest and warm up in the sun.

TIPS FOR BUTTERFLY SUCCESS

1. Plant your garden in a sunny spot that's also sheltered from the wind.

2. Group plants so that lots of flowers grow close together.

3. Choose a variety of plants that bloom at different times. That will keep your butterfly café open through spring, summer, and early fall.

4.  Don't use pesticides. They're bad for butterflies—and for people and pets, too!

BUTTERFLY STUDIES

Once butterflies have arrived, sit back and enjoy the show! If your winged visitors are willing, you might also want to investigate some of these questions:

• Make a Menu. Which flowers are most popular? Check out whether certain kinds of butterflies seem to prefer visiting certain flowers.
  
  
• Look Hard. Do the butterflies' colors blend in or stand out? Are they more camouflaged with their wings open or closed?
  
  
• Take Roll. Can you identify the butterflies you spot? Note their size and shape, the colors and patterns on their wings, and how they fly. Then use a field guide to search for their names. You could also go online to butterfliesandmoths.org  for lots of helpful information.
  
  
• Zoom In. Can you get close enough to watch a butterfly's long tongue unroll? Can you use a magnifying glass to see the tiny scales that cover its wings?
  
  
• Get the Shot. Will your favorite butterflies pose for a photo? Snap some pictures and frame the best ones or make a book to show them off.

 

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