By Annette Meyer Gardening to attract butterflies is fun. A little planning now will help you decide which plants or seeds to purchase this spring and where to plant them to attract butterflies.
Butterflies feed on nectar produced by flowers.
They have mouthparts shaped as a long, coiled tube. Forcing blood into the tube straightens it out, allowing butterflies to feed on liquids. They get all of their food through this tube, which limits them to nectar and standing water. Like most insects, butterflies are very near-sighted and are more attracted to large stands of one type of flower than those planted singly. Groups of flowers with bright, contrasting colors will help to attract butterflies.