Butterfly Spray

by Amy
(Newcastle, uk)

Is there a spray I can buy, that might attract butterflies to plants and flowers?
I wanted to use it at my Baby Son's 'garden' because we love to see butterflies.
thank you

Dear Amy,
As far as I know there is no spray to attract butterflies to plants and flowers. Anything you sprayed would just dissipate on the breeze anyway. Butterflies are attracted to the natural scents of the flowers in your gardens. If you have the right flowers they will come.

Butterflies are attracted to flat daisy like flowers that have a good landing surface to sit on and sip nectar and of course fragrant flowers. Many of the most fragrant flowers are old fashioned varieties because in the process of developing flowers for colors and disease resistance some of the newer hybrids have lost some of their scent.

If you are currently designing your butterfly garden put it in a sunny spot, but out of the wind. In addition to flowers, butterflies are also attracted to plants like butterfly weed, parsley, bronze fennel, dill, and native milkweed because this is where they lay their eggs.

Butterflies appreciate a source of water, but they prefer it on the ground so put a shallow dish on the ground with perhaps a flat stone to rest on. Check out my articles on butterfly gardens, and
butterfly habitat for more information on the varieties of flowers that butterflies are most attracted to. Good luck and have fun enjoying your butterfly garden with you son.
Just Julie