Butterflies and Hummingbirds
4
Number 20 North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service North Carolina State University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences College of Forest Resources Distributed in furtherance of the acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A & T State University, US Department of Agriculture, and local governments Backyards and other small areas may have a limited value when managing for larger species like deer, but they are extremely valuable for many other species. With planning and a little work, these areas can easily be managed to benefit nectar-seekers such as hummingbirds and butterflies. By promoting plant species and habitat components that are beneficial to hummingbirds and butterflies, you can insure their colorful presence. This publication highlights key steps to protect and provide the important habitat areas needed by hummingbirds and butterflies. Getting Started It is important to have a soil test done on potential garden sites before beginning to plant. Soil tests are free through the NC Department of Agriculture Soil Testing Lab. Soil test information and interpretive material is available from your Cooperative Extension Service Center. Extension agents can recommend soil amendments and plants adapted to your area. After a site is chosen, sketch out a garden plan. The plan should show the arrangement of flower groups, the location of water sources, basking areas, and if needed, artificial feeder sites. Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to sunny areas. Improve shaded garden sites by opening the canopy. It is best to begin planting your hummingbird/butterfly garden in early spring. Concentrate on setting out hardy trees, shrubs, and vines that will not have to be replaced each year. Plant the tallest trees and shrubs at the back borders and then work to the front of the property using sequentially shorter plant layers. For hummingbirds, select perennial plants with mature heights of at least two feet. Hummingbird
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Transcript of Butterflies and Hummingbirds
Number 20
Distributed in furtheranceof the acts of Congress ofMay 8 and June 30, 1914.Employment and program
opportunities are offered toall people regardless of
race, color, national origin,sex, age, or disability.
North Carolina StateUniversity, North CarolinaA & T State University, USDepartment of Agriculture,
and local governments
Backyards and other small areasmay have a limited value whenmanaging for larger species likedeer, but they are extremelyvaluable for many other species.With planning and a little work,these areas can easily be managedto benefit nectar-seekers such ashummingbirds and butterflies.
By promoting plant species andhabitat components that arebeneficial to hummingbirds andbutterflies, you can insure theircolorful presence. This publicationhighlights key steps to protect andprovide the important habitat areasneeded by hummingbirds andbutterflies.
Getting Started
It is important to have a soil testdone on potential garden sitesbefore beginning to plant. Soil testsare free through the NC Departmentof Agriculture Soil Testing Lab. Soiltest information and interpretivematerial is available from yourCooperative Extension ServiceCenter. Extension agents canrecommend soil amendments andplants adapted to your area.
After a site is chosen, sketch out agarden plan. The plan should show
the arrangement of flower groups, thelocation of water sources, baskingareas, and if needed, artificial feedersites. Hummingbirds and butterfliesare attracted to sunny areas. Improveshaded garden sites by opening thecanopy.
It is best to begin planting yourhummingbird/butterfly garden in earlyspring. Concentrate on setting outhardy trees, shrubs, and vines that willnot have to be replaced each year.
Plant the tallest trees and shrubs at theback borders and then work to the frontof the property using sequentiallyshorter plant layers. Forhummingbirds, select perennial plantswith mature heights of at least two feet.
Hummingbird
North CarolinaCooperative Extension ServiceNorth Carolina State UniversityCollege of Agriculture & Life SciencesCollege of Forest Resources
Page 2
Hummingbird Tips
♦ Use a 4:1 mixture of water and whitegranulated sugar in hummingbirdfeeders. Dissolve sugar completely bystirring in hot tap water. Allow thesolution to cool before using and storethe unused portion in the refrigerator.[Note: Do not use honey solutionsin feeders as they tend to spoileasily and may harm thehummingbirds].
♦ Avoid using insect sprays, repellents, orpesticides on or around hummingbirdfeeders. Apply petroleum jelly to feederopenings and on the wire from whichthe feeder hangs to discourage stinginginsects or ants attracted to the sugarsolution.
♦ Hummingbirds are attracted to redobjects. Apply red tape to feederopenings instead of using potentiallyharmful red food coloring in the sugarsolution.
♦ Station feeders near blossoms wherehummingbirds already feed.
♦ Clean feeders each week with awater/vinegar solution instead of soap.
♦ Plant gardens in protected spots next toa fence or building to minimize theeffects of the wind.
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service
Plantings for HummingbirdsHummingbirds are attracted not only to sunnyareas, but to red objects, so select plants withred flowers when possible. Natural plants can"fill the bill" where nectar-seekers areconcerned and should be used wheneverpossible. The plants listed below willsuccessfully attract hummingbirds:
Hummingbird Plants
TreesMimosa Black LocustChinaberry Flowering CrabHorse Chestnut HawthornBuckeye
ShrubsButterfly Bush Cardinal ShrubFlowering Quince Coralberry Wisteria Shrub WeigelaFlowering Currant LilacAzaleas
VinesTrumpet Creeper HoneysuckleClematis Yellow Jasmine
FlowersGarden Phlox Coral BellsBee Balm Red Hot PokerHardy Fuchsia Tiger LilyHardy Hibiscus Cardinal FlowerHollyhock ColumbineGeraniums LarkspurIndian Paintbrush JewelweedRose Mallow Sweet William
Working With Wildlife # 20 - Hummingbirds and Butterflies
Page 3
N.C
Butterfly Tips
♦ Furnish basking stones or boards forbutterflies to perch on when sunning.Provide caterpillar food sources in bothsunny and shaded areas (seeCaterpillar Host Plants)..
♦ Allow small, unused areas to grow upwith the weeds necessary for healthybutterfly caterpillars.
♦ Provide damp areas; becausebutterflies cannot drink from open watersources, moist sand, earth, or mudprovide the best watering holes.
Butterfly Plants
ShrubsSpice bush CaryopterisButterfly Bush HibiscusJapanese Wisteria Azalea
FlowersImpatiens Verbena Wild GingerCosmos Bee Balm SnapdragonPetunia Amaranth StrawberryMarigold Foxglove Bellflower
PerennialsPurple Coneflower Black-eyed SusanButterfly weed CoreopsisMoss Verbena ChivesViolet LiatrisDaylily
. Cooperative Extension Service
PMark A. Megalos, E
J.Chris TurneEdwin J. Jones, D
Provide the habitat components necessary foreach of the four stages of the butterfly life-cycleto insure greater use by butterflies and acomplete habitat; include host plants on whichto lay eggs and chrysalises, caterpillar foodresources, and nectar-producing flowers foradults. The following table lists some foodplants beneficial to butterfly offspring:
Caterpillar Host PlantsNatural Milkweed
ThistleNettleCloverQueen-Anne’s laceWild lupineAmerican Elm
Common pawpawTulip poplarSpicebushWild asterGoldenrodVetchBlack cherry
Cultivated Butterfly weedParsleyFennelApple
RueDillPassion Flower
Successful ButterflyPlantings
♦ Use large plantings of flowers and shrubs.Butterflies locate and utilize them moreefficiently.
♦ Favor single flowering plants for easy accessand nectar extraction.
Working With Wildlife # 20 - Hummingbirds and Butterflies
repared by:xtension Forestry Specialist,r, Extension Associate,epartment Extension Leader
Page 4
N.C.
Life Stages of the Morning Cloak Butterfly
9-9
Other Wildlife Notes Available:No. 1 - Endangered Species No. 14 - Snags and Downed LogsNo. 2 - Eastern Gray Squirrel No. 15 - Managing Edges for wildlifeNo. 3 - White-tailed Deer No. 16 - Building Songbird BoxesNo. 4 - Songbirds No. 17 - Woodland Wildlife Nest BoxesNo. 5 - Wild Turkey No. 18 - Low Cost Habitat ImprovementsNo. 6 - Wood Duck No. 19 - Pools for AmphibiansNo. 7 - Cottontail Rabbit No. 20 - Hummingbirds and ButterfliesNo. 8 - Bobwhite Quail No. 21 - BatsNo. 9 - Ruffed Grouse No. 22 - OwlsNo. 10 - Black Bear No. 23 - Managing Beaver PondsNo. 11 - Raccoon No. 24 - Herbaceous Plants for WildlifeNo. 12 - Mourning Dove No. 25 - SIP Wildlife OpportunitiesNo. 13 - Wildlife Terms
Cooperative Extension Service Working With Wildlife # 20 - Hummingbirds and Butterflies
FOREST STEWARDSHIPa cooperative program for
improving and maintaining all of theresources on private forestland
4-4M-WWW-20
