Butterfly feeders give butterflies a consistent food supply. They will also bring more butterflies into your garden which, in turn, pollinates your plants’ flowers. To assist you in doing this, I have put together a list of the four best butterfly feeders for your garden.
Taking all of this into account, the four best butterfly feeders for your garden are:
- Scypherx Butterfly Puddler Stone
- Insect Lore Butterfly Feeder
- Songbird Essentials Butterfly Feeder
- LOTKEY Butterfly House With Feeder
4 Best Butterfly Feeders For Your Garden
I have been shopping for a butterfly feeder and I cannot believe all of the options that I have discovered. No matter your budget or style of feeder that you prefer, I know you will find something that you like on the list below (you can also provide it as part of a butterfly garden!).
1 – Scypherx Butterfly Puddler Stone
I was immediately drawn to this lovely butterfly feeder, as it is super pretty. It resembles an elegant shimmering open shell made for butterflies, featuring glass marbles on the top to reflect light and allure butterflies.
Also, the Scypherx butterfly feeder has a sachet of minerals to be added to the water. The minerals attract butterflies, but they also give the butterflies much needed nourishment.
One of the advantages of this water feeder is that it is shallow. Since butterflies cannot swim, it’s crucial that water does not present a danger.
You will likely discern that this is a rather expensive butterfly feeder, but the distinctivity of the design and the good size in length of approximately 10 inches makes the cost worth it. However, let’s not forget that it is ceramic, and therefore, is more prone to breaking than other products on this list.
Pros
- Beautiful design
- No assembly required
- Comes with accessories
Cons
- Expensive
- Could be breakable
2 – Insect Lore Butterfly Feeder
For those who are on a budget, I think the Insect Lore feeder is a fantastic option and you are still getting an excellent piece of equipment with bright colors that are sure to attract butterflies.
However, keep in mind that this product is intended for children while it aims to pique their curiosity about butterflies, if you want your garden to have a more grownup look, this is probably not a good option.
I like that it is a smaller feeder (6 inches in length) which makes it very discreet. On another note, there are six nectar reservoirs that allow for a lot more butterflies to use it at one time. You even receive little red wicks that take up nectar and will also attract butterflies with the color.
The Insect Lore butterfly feeder is made from plastic, which is nice because you are getting something that is lightweight and easy to clean.
The downside is that I saw a few reports on the cover not being durable, plus a few people reported the product leaking when they refilled it.
Pros
- Comes with nectar recipe and accessories
- Great for kids who want to learn about nature
- Affordable
Cons
- Lacking durability
- May be too garish for some tastes
3 – Songbird Essentials Butterfly Feeder
I should start by mentioning that this butterfly feeder is not as aesthetically pleasing as something like the Scypherx feeder. However, it is a bit sturdier, and the bright colors are a solid way to attract numerous butterflies.
Again, the whole idea of the Songbird Essentials butterfly feeder appears to come through in the reviews, and this is that it is very simple to use.
The lid comes off for easy cleaning, and it also has a convenient fruit tray if you’d like to leave an enhanced treat. You can also mount it on a pole if you prefer not to leave it free-standing.
Lastly, a butterfly breeder designed this feeder with tubes to imitate real flowers. You have confidence that it will do exactly what it is made for.
In addition, the feeder comes with nectar premixed to make 104 ounces of nectar. You can purchase it again once it runs out.
Pros
- Made by butterfly experts
- Comes with nectar solution
- Easy to use
Cons
- Unattractive appearance
4 – LOTKEY Butterfly House With Feeder
After looking into different butterfly feeders, I think that the LOTKEY butterfly house with feeder is a solid choice. Not only is it a lovely design that would look nice in any garden, but it is very well constructed.
The butterfly house constructed of wood is extremely durable, and it’s been treated, therefore it does work well in rain and doesn’t wear out easily.
This gives the butterflies excellent protection from the elements. Also, this is a green alternative to some of the plastic feeders.
With regard to the feeder, you will see it is somewhat small. Only one butterfly would be able to access it and use it at a time.
However, don’t let this discourage you, the house and feeder are perfect together and would be ideal for any viewers of nature in the backyard and what kid wouldn’t love it?
Pros
- Mid-range price
- Very durable and well made
- Easy to clean and no assembly required
Cons
- Small feeder
Tips When Buying A Butterfly Feeder
I have total faith in the butterfly feeders I listed above. Nevertheless, I am not naive to think that every one of those feeders is ideal for every potential buyer.
Of course, it’s important to consider some things when choosing the best butterfly feeder for your garden.
I’ve also got some useful tips for setting up and maintaining your new butterfly feeder.
What Type Of Feeder Should You Get?
Typically, there are two categories of butterfly feeders. While the function of each is the same, they differ slightly in design.
Decorative butterfly feeders are generally more expensive, but there is an aesthetic element that adds real interest to your garden. You usually hang these feeders with metal chains and they have a decorative glass bowl for the food to sit.
Hanging butterfly feeders made out of plastic are among the most popular type of butterfly feeders.
They are less expensive than the decorative option and they are best for gardeners who are on a budget. They all come with a compartment for nectar, and some have a shelf for fruit.
Feeders With Fruit Dishes
Many butterfly feeders come with a bowl for fruit, so you can offer overripe fruit which is very attractive to butterflies and insects. Generally, there will be a couple of fruit bowls on the feeder, so do keep in mind that this may attract unwanted guests, such as wasps, to your yard.
How Much Should You Spend?
I’m a sucker for shopping, so I always have a budget. It is really easy to overspend – although you may not need to!
As a general rule, you could expect to spend about $20 on a fairly decent quality butterfly feeder. The recommended feeders range from $10 to $30! Thus, it really is up to how much you are willing to spend.
The more you are willing to pay generally yields better quality and better looking butterfly feeders. But don’t get me wrong, a cheap butterfly feeder is still worthwhile.
There are plenty of affordable options out there, just be sure to check the quality material and always review what the customers are saying.
Where To Place Your Butterfly Feeder
You should find a placement for your butterfly feeder that allows butterflies to hide from predators as they feed. Its best to choose an area that won’t have any nearby trees or bushes because these are a great location for predators to hide.
That being said, butterflies also like sunny areas. Butterflies are cold-blooded and will need the heat from the sun. A little shade throughout the day is fine, but as much direct sunlight as possible throughout the day is the most beneficial.
Regardless, you should choose an area that is not very windy.
What You Should Fill Your Feeder With
Wild butterflies will feed on a variety of things, as different species will eat different things. Some species will be attracted to fruit that is overripe or even rotting, but the majority of butterflies feed on nectar. Butterflies have a long tongue-like extension, which is called a proboscis, it is then able to suck nectar out of flowers.
You’ll want to use a nectar substitute in your feeder for this reason. Don’t worry, you can make this product, which is called sugar syrup, by mixing equal parts of sugar and equal parts water and boiling them to help the sugar dissolve.
It is easy to make, and once it cools it will last in the fridge for about three weeks, so you can also make a large batch and boil them.
If you are not inclined to make your own butterfly food you can also buy prepared food.
There is probably room for some overripe fruit in your butterfly feeder, but this could possibly cause pests like wasps. If you’re fine with the wasps coming around to eat, that’s fine, but most people prefer not to have stinging insects around.
How Often To Refill And Clean Your Feeder
In most instances, you should only need to replace the butterfly feeder’s food once a week. However, if they have eaten everything, you will have to replace it sooner.
Also, the outside temperature should be a consideration when determining the quality of the food. If the temperature reaches more than about 85ºF, I recommend changing the food two or three times a week.
Equally, maintaining a clean butterfly feeder can be a good practice. If the feeder does not remain clean, you will grow mold.
Cleaning is easy and can be done with a solution of hot water and 10% bleach. Once the feeder is clean, it is very important to ensure that the feeder is thoroughly rinsed to remove all remnants of the cleaning solution.
In hot weather, I recommend cleaning the feeder every three to four days. However, under other circumstances, cleaning is acceptable when you change the food, which may be once a week.
What To Do If You Want To Make A Butterfly Feeder Instead
Purchasing a butterfly feeder isn’t for everyone. Indeed, if you want to save some money, making a butterfly feeder yourself is a an excellent option. You can do this with items you probably already have at home.
Steps
- To create your plastic bottle butterfly feeder (there are many others you can try, but this is a great design to start with):
- You will begin by taking a piece of string that is about 8 inches long.
- Tie the string around the neck of the plastic bottle and then tie the ends of the string together to form a loop to hang it.
- Next, take a sharp object (like a pin or a nail) and poke two holes in the bottom of the bottle. The holes don’t have to be too big; in fact, the smaller they are, the better!
- Now take a bowl and place the bottle in the center of the bowl. Fill the bottle with a sugar syrup solution (You can find details on making this up in the section of this article that tells you what to put inside your feeder).
- You can then hold onto the bowl when you take the bottle to your desired location and this will prevent the solution from spilling on the way.
- Simply hang your bottle and the sugar syrup solution will slowly drip out, enticing butterflies.