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Butterflies Love Fruit: Cool!

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Butterflies Love Fruit

By gardengus
April 3, 2012

When trying to attract butterflies to your garden , don't forget to add some ripe fruit.

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Image Maridell
Apr 2, 2012 6:13 PM CST
Name: Maridell
Sioux City IA (Zone 4b)
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Great idea. Any special kind of ripe fruit?
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Image Sharon
Apr 2, 2012 6:23 PM CST
Name: Sharon
Kentucky (Zone 7a)
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Annuals Enjoys or suffers hot summers Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Charter ATP Member
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: Kentucky Native Plants and Wildflowers Daylilies Roses Irises
Oh wow! That's the bottom of a pineapple.
Very cool!

Had to enlarge the image to see it.
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Image fiwit
Apr 2, 2012 7:26 PM CST
Name: Mary
My little patch of paradise (Zone 7b)
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Region: Wales Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Region: Georgia I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database.
Maridell, at the Callaway Gardens butterfly house, they use citrus and bananas (and it's usually over-ripe)
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Image canadanna
Apr 2, 2012 7:48 PM CST
Name: Anna
Colleyville, Texas /Zone 8a
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Funny how those beautiful wings contrast with rotten fruit!
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Image gardengus
Apr 2, 2012 8:09 PM CST
Name: Cinda
Indiana Zone 5b
A garden cultivates gratitude.
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They seem to like just about any kind of over ripe or rotten fruit. I learned this from my compost pile Smiling
I get the best response to the juicy things , they love the end of watermelon.
I put fruit out when my berries are ripe to distract them so I can have the berries.

Thumb of 2012-04-03/gardengus/5cc1f0
the top leaf looking thing is a butterfly
Thumb of 2012-04-03/gardengus/30c9dd see: wings open
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Image Maridell
Apr 2, 2012 8:22 PM CST
Name: Maridell
Sioux City IA (Zone 4b)
enjoy the moment
Charter ATP Member Garden Tipster, Level 1 Tip Photographer I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Cat Lover Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Region: United States of America
Glad to hear about the bananas. I usually throw 1 or 2 out because we don't eat them fast enough around here.
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Image fiwit
Apr 2, 2012 8:47 PM CST
Name: Mary
My little patch of paradise (Zone 7b)
Gardening dilettante, that's me!
Plays in the sandbox Native Plants and Wildflowers Butterflies Dog Lover What in the world is this? Daylilies
Region: Wales Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Region: Georgia I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database.
I read on here somewhere last fall(?) that you can hang a nanner peel near your hummingbird feeder (maybe they said to wrap it in muslin or something) because the fruit flies it gets are also food for hummers. Me? I put the old nanners in the freezer until I get around to making nanner bread.
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Image Onewish1
Apr 3, 2012 4:06 AM CST
Name: Allison
NJ (Zone 6a)
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Hummingbirder Region: New Jersey Dog Lover
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you can just hang it on a branch or nail... the hummers love the fruit flies.. I always put oranges out to try and attract oriels .. never saw butterflies near them but good to know!!
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Image Ditchlily
Apr 3, 2012 5:00 PM CST
Name: Laura Eiras
Huntsville, AL (Zone 7b)
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Daylilies Cat Lover Ferns Hostas Lilies
Enjoys or suffers hot summers
We were at the Chattanooga Aquarium a few weeks ago, where they also have a butterfly house in the roof. Took this there. I think they are pieces of banana and grapes on a string.
Thumb of 2012-04-03/Ditchlily/d26dbd

A closer look.
Thumb of 2012-04-03/Ditchlily/db2788

One more.
Thumb of 2012-04-03/Ditchlily/bb25a9


[Last edited Apr 3, 2012 5:06 PM CST]
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Image Onewish1
Apr 3, 2012 7:17 PM CST
Name: Allison
NJ (Zone 6a)
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Hummingbirder Region: New Jersey Dog Lover
Seed Starter Container Gardener
nice.. great shots!!
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Image gardengus
Apr 3, 2012 7:28 PM CST
Name: Cinda
Indiana Zone 5b
A garden cultivates gratitude.
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Keeps Goats Permaculture Organic Gardener Composter
Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Winter Sowing Native Plants and Wildflowers Herbs Miniature Gardening Vegetable Grower
I agree
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Image rocklady
Apr 4, 2012 11:21 AM CST
Name: Jean
HSV, AR, DeLand, FL
Region: Florida Daylilies
Great idea. When my bananas get overripe, I freeze them for smoothies and use the peel to fertilize my epis. Last year, I was rewarded with blooms galore. The plants truly went bananas!
Thumb of 2012-04-04/rocklady/dba263
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Image fiwit
Dec 2, 2012 7:04 AM CST
Name: Mary
My little patch of paradise (Zone 7b)
Gardening dilettante, that's me!
Plays in the sandbox Native Plants and Wildflowers Butterflies Dog Lover What in the world is this? Daylilies
Region: Wales Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Region: Georgia I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database.
This popped up in random ideas today Thumbs up

It's a fantastic idea, but when I tried it a couple summers ago, the dish of fruit was quickly over-run with bees/wasps/hornets rather than butterflies. Other than putting it FAR AWAY from me so I don't get stung, are there any other suggestions? I don't mind feeding the bees/wasps/hornets, but I have a very strong aversion to being stung. Hilarious!
Northwest Georgia Daylily Society
Available now in PRINT - a book by ME! (or T-mail me for info about autographed copies)
My yard marches to the beat of a bohemian drummer...
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Image gardengus
Jan 6, 2013 6:59 AM CST
Name: Cinda
Indiana Zone 5b
A garden cultivates gratitude.
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Keeps Goats Permaculture Organic Gardener Composter
Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Winter Sowing Native Plants and Wildflowers Herbs Miniature Gardening Vegetable Grower
ripe fruit does attract a lot of feeders . I find the wasps and bees seem to take their turn also , kinda like all kinds of birds at a feeder we cant control who is hungry. I would suggest putting the feeder in a remote area if you are concerned about getting stung. I have found feeding insects usually too busy to even care about my coming and goings.
I would love to share my garden with you
Please visit my cubit Life in the Garden
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Image valleylynn
Feb 10, 2013 9:11 PM CST
Name: Lynn
Dallas, OR (Zone 8b)
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Charter ATP Member Plant Database Moderator Forum moderator I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database.
Tip Photographer Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Acorn Fight Champion Garden Tipster, Level 2 Sedums Sempervivums
Just found this tip. I never thought of putting fruit out for the butterflies.
Never thought of hanging banana peels to attract fruit flies for the hummers.
Boy did I learn a lot from this tip. Thumbs up
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