Butterflies are unique, gentle insects with a variety of beautiful colors and patterns. If you have to regularly feed or provide treats for your butterflies, there are several ways you can do this. The type of food and how to feed the butterfly depends on the circumstances and where it lives.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Feeding Butterflies in the Outdoors
Step 1. Provide flower nectar for butterflies
Generally, butterflies can survive by consuming nectar from flowers. Nectar is an excellent food for butterflies. Asclepias, zinnia flowers, marigold flowers are plants that butterflies love. Plant these flowers in your yard to attract attention and feed the butterflies.
Step 2. Provide packaged fruit nectar as an alternative
If you don't want to plant and care for flowers, buy packaged fruit nectar. To serve fruit nectar, pour it into a plastic bottle cap or tissue and place it in a butterfly feeder, fence, or other place.
Step 3. Give the butterflies sugar water if there is no nectar
Sugar water is an alternative nectar that butterflies can consume. Mix 1 tbsp. cane sugar and 4 tablespoons warm water and stir until dissolved. Cane sugar water contains the nutrients and energy that butterflies need to thrive.
Compared to other sugars, cane sugar has excellent nutrition and is more soluble
Step 4. Give the butterfly rotting fruit as an alternative
Cut the rotting fruit and give it to the butterfly. Butterflies love rotting fruit such as grapes, oranges, strawberries, peaches, apples, and bananas. Add water or fruit juice to keep the rotted fruit moist.
Step 5. Make the butterfly feeder
The best way to feed butterflies that live in the open is to buy or make a butterfly feeder. There are several ways that can be done to provide this tool. You can hang plastic bottles filled with food on a tree, or place a plate on the ground around the garden. Make a feeding device that can attract the butterfly's attention.
Method 2 of 3: Feeding the Butterfly Living in the Cage
Step 1. Prepare Gatorade or cider
One of the easiest ways to feed a butterfly is to feed it Gatorade or cider. Gatorade and fruit juice contain sugar and water which can be a source of nutrition for butterflies. Provide Gatorade and cider to feed the butterflies easily and quickly.
Step 2. Make a food solution for best results
If you have time to prepare butterfly food to maintain its nutritional needs, make a food solution. Mix 100 ml of water or Gatorade and 1 tsp of sugar syrup. Then, add 6 drops of soy sauce.
To make sugar syrup, mix 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat before the water starts to boil
Step 3. Serve liquid food in small containers for easier access
Serve food in appropriate containers to make it look more appetizing. The smaller and shallower the container used, the better. Use a cup or bottle cap whenever possible. Fill the container with food, put it in the cage, and close the door.
You can also use a small cup or wax cup. However, these containers go deeper. Fill the container with marbles so the butterflies can land when they eat
Step 4. Provide skewered fresh fruit if you keep various species of butterflies
If you keep a variety of butterfly species, fruit can provide an adequate source of food. Take a skewer or a piece of bamboo, skewer the prepared pieces of fruit, then place them in the butterfly cage.
If the fruit won't stick to the skewers, use a cable tie under the fruit slices
Step 5. Place the fruits in the brightest area of the cage
Butterflies always roam in bright places. Therefore, place the fruit in a bright place so that the butterfly can find it easily. Place the skewered fruit horizontally on the bottom of the cage or place it vertically in the brightest corner of the cage. Butterflies can easily find these fruits and eat them.
Method 3 of 3: Feeding the Injured Butterfly
Step 1. Choose liquids such as juice, cola, and cider
Juice, cola, and cider can treat injured, sick, or young butterflies. Use these drinks as a food source for butterflies whenever possible, and place them in a warm or normal temperature room.
Step 2. Soak a tissue in liquid food and place it in a container
Determine the appropriate type of food and then soak a wet tissue in it. Butterflies can eat these foods without wetting their feet.
Step 3. Lift the butterfly and place it on a paper towel that has been moistened with liquid food
First of all, make sure your hands are dry. When the butterfly closes its wings, pinch the tips of the wings carefully. Remove the butterfly and place it on a wet tissue that has been moistened with liquid food so he can taste it. Repeat this process with all the butterflies you raise.
- If this is not done gently, the butterfly can hurt when picked up. Therefore, it is important for you to be careful when lifting the butterfly.
- It is important to feed the butterflies in this way because these insects taste food with their feet.
Step 4. Lower the butterfly's trunk using a toothpick if it can't do it on its own
Once placed on a tissue, the butterfly will immediately recognize the food and lower its trunk. If the butterfly doesn't do this, use a toothpick or paperclip to gently lower the butterfly's trunk toward the food.
At first, the butterfly may resist and push away the toothpick or paperclip you used. Keep doing it for a few minutes. If the butterfly still refuses, stop and try again after 1-2 hours
Step 5. Feed the butterfly once a day
Pinch the tips of the butterfly wings and gently lift them and place them on a paper towel moistened with liquid food once a day. If the butterfly refuses to eat, try again another time. Butterflies have a high appetite and can eat only at certain times. Butterflies prefer more spread out feeding times.
