Make a Butterfly House for the Garden

Things You Need:

Pine, Cedar or Redwood board

Basic Woodworking Skills and Tools

Weather-resistant Screws or Nails
Cut the board to the following dimensions:

Front: 22" long x 5" wide

Back: 22" long x 5" wide

Sides: 19" long x 3 ½" wide (quantity of two pieces needed)

Roof: 4" x 5 ½" (quantity of two pieces needed)

Bottom: 3 ½" x 3 ½"

Mounting block: 6" x 3" x 1 ½"

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Mark the center of the front and back pieces, and then lay out the 30 degree angles to form the peaks at the top. Cut along the marks to form the peaks.

Lay out the entrance slots. The butterfly boxes in the diagram have six slots which are 5" long by 3/8" wide. Using a 3/8" drill bit, drill a hole at each end of the slot. Then use a jig saw to cut out the rest of the slot.

Cut the top sections with a 30 degree angle on one of the long sides as shown in the diagram. The 30 degree cuts on the top sections match up with the 30 degree cuts on the front and back sections, and fit together to form the peaked roof.

Begin the assembly by attaching the front to one of the side pieces with exterior screws or nails. Align the bottom edges of both pieces before securing them together.

Attach the bottom to the front and side assembly, and then attach the back section.

Line up the remaining side with the bottom of the front and back pieces. To create a hinged door, secure the side section to the front assembly with one nail or screw driven into edge approximately 1" down from the top.

Then, finish the hinged side by driving one nail or screw one through the back to form a pivot point. Position the hinge nails or screws in the front and back sections directly across from each other, enabling the door to open easily (refer to the side view drawing).

Drill and counter sink a screw hole along the center of the bottom edge. A single short screw will secure the door, yet allow easy access to the butterfly boxes for cleaning.

Position the roof sections by attaching the pieces to the front and back sections. Do not nail the roof pieces to the side section which forms the hinged door. The butterfly box is ready for the garden, or for a brightly colored paint job.

Mount the finished garden butterfly box to a post in the garden. To use a section of ¾" copper pipe as a post, attach a small piece wood (approximately 6" long x 3" wide x 1 ½" thick) to the inside of the butterfly house, securing it from the back with a couple of nails or screws. Drill a ¾" hole though the bottom and into the block, and then mount the butterfly box on to a section of copper pipe.

Butterflies are beautiful creatures and every gardener enjoys seeing these delightful insects floating and fluttering amidst the blooms in their gardens. Inviting the many different types types of butterflies such as Monarchs, swallowtails, painted ladies and red admirals is as easy as planting the types of plants and flowers that they like to eat, both as caterpillars and then later on as adults.

Attracting butterflies to the garden does not require a lot of space, and many nectar providing annuals and perennials can be grown successfully in containers. By planting the types of plants that butterflies need for each phase of their lifecycle from laying eggs and feeding hungry caterpillars to the providing nectar for adults ensures that these wonderful visitors to your gardens year after year.

Butterflies are attracted to flowers with bright colors and a strong fragrance. Plant your butterfly garden in full sun, and include the blooms of purple coneflowers, coreopsis and tickseeds, bee balm, and the popular buddleia butterfly bushes. Many annuals offer nectar filled blooms, including cosmos, marigolds and geraniums. Adding native plants such as goldenrod, thistle and Joe Pye weed increases the diversity in the garden and provides natural food sources for butterflies, and may encourage butterflies to stay in the garden longer and perhaps, to lay their eggs and begin the cycle for the next generation.

Add a water source such as a birdbath. Change the water often to keep it fresh, and place a few small stones on the bottom of the birdbath to provide landing areas for the butterflies.

To keep the butterflies and their caterpillars healthy avoid using broad-spectrum pesticides that kill the beneficial insects along with all of the bad bugs.

There are over 17,000 species of butterflies worldwide. More than 750 species of butterflies live in North America.

The smallest butterfly, the blue pigmy found in California, is less than ½ inch in size. The largest butterfly is the Queen Alexandra of New Guinea, and can measure 12 inches from wingtip to wingtip.

Butterflies cannot eat, and can only drink. Used to sip nectar from flowers, the butterfly's long flexible tongue is called the proboscis.

Butterflies can see ultraviolet light, which aids them in their search for nectar-filled flowers. They are only active during the day, and rest at night in sheltered areas.

Butterflies cannot hear. They taste through their feet, and smell through their antenna.

Many types of butterflies have toxic chemicals in their bodies. Their brightly colored wings warn birds and other potential predators of their foul-tasting chemical defense.

Most adult butterflies live only 20 to 40 days. Some can live up to six months, though some live for only a few days.

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