Common Butterfly Habitat Mistakes
Posted on 25 May 2008
© 2007 Andrea Anderson
Common butterfly habitat mistakes can mean the life or death of your caterpillar/butterfly. So, I have created a list of common mistakes which are made when raising them.
1) Do not put caterpillars in a glass or plastic container. As I mentioned in my previous article, this is a good way to cook caterpillars and butterflies NOT a good way to raise them.
2) Never ever put your caterpillar in direct sunlight. Butterflies may love sunlight but caterpillars do not. They prefer shade. Remember, naturally they would live underneath leaves to stay hidden from predators and the sun’s hot rays.
3) Always feed your caterpillars fresh food directly from the host plant. Caterpillars do not drink and so they get all of their fluids from their host plants. As soon as food from the host plants are picked, it starts drying out which means it is losing moisture that the caterpillar needs. So, it is always best to put caterpillars on live growing plants when possible. Not to mention, it is more natural.
4) Don’t poke at the caterpillar. Though it might be fun to show off your caterpillar, caterpillars should be handles as little as possible because touching gives the signal to a caterpillar that you are a predator. I see this happen often, with children, though, not so much with adults. Right before your caterpillar goes into its Chrysalis stage, it can seem lifeless or even dead. I have seen people poke their caterpillars to see if they are still alive. Never ever do this. Caterpillars live under leaves and prefer to be left alone and undisturbed so they can go about their business. If handled too much, it can even mess up their life cycle.
5) Never release a butterfly where it will not find its appropriate nectar plants. Remember, butterflies need food and they do not feed on host plants they feed on nectar plants. The plants don’t need to be in your yard but they should be close so that the butterfly doesn’t have to look far to find them. Remember, if you do not provide the proper food it is like putting a human out in the middle of a desert wasteland, butterflies need the right food to survive, just like humans do.