
Jens Lambert/Demand Media
Items you will need
1 cup of granulated sugar
4 cups of water
Sauce pan
Shallow pan, such as a pie pan
Paper towels
Red, yellow and/or orange sponges or pot scrubbers to line the pan
Storage jar
Butterflies are more than pretty insects; they perform an important ecological role by pollinating a host of plants -- in fact, only bees are more productive pollinators. There's also a peacefulness that comes with watching a beautiful butterfly flit through the garden. There are a variety of plants to attract butterflies, but if your thumb is more brown than green, or you don't feel like maintaining a garden, you can make your own butterfly nectar at home.

Line the pan with several layers of paper towels topped with the colorful sponges -- butterflies are attracted to bright colors such as red, yellow and orange.
References (5)
- Treehugger.com: Make Food for Struggling Monarch Butterflies With 3 Recipes Using Your Leftovers
- Experimental Homesteader.com: Attract Butterflies With Homemade Nectar
- JoyBlooms.com: Making Butterfly Feeders
- North Carolina State University: Attracting Butterflies
- InspirationGreen.com: Fruit for Butterflies
Photo Credits
- Jens Lambert/Demand Media