Year 3 Science: ‘Helping Plants Grow’ Butterflies

Pollinating Insects Pollinating insects are very beneficial in gardens. They help the production and growth of plants. We want to try and lure these types of insects to our gardens to help pollinate our flowers, fruit and veggies.

What do butterflies eat? Actually, butterflies do not eat at all. Well, at least not in the traditional sense. Instead of eating, butterflies get their nourishment from drinking. They have a long narrow tube in their mouth called a proboscis that acts as a straw. They usually set on top of a flower and drink the nectar.

Butterflies can taste with their feet. They have six legs and they each have sensors on them that can tell just by landing on a flower what it taste like.

Butterflies can eat anything that can dissolve in water. They mostly feed on nectar from flowers but also eat tree sap, dung, pollen, or rotting fruit. They are attracted to sodium found in salt and sweat. This is why they sometimes even land on people in Butterfly Parks. Sodium as well as many other minerals is vital for the butterflies reproduction.

Butterfly Feeders Now we know what butterflies like to drink and how they like to feed. We are going to make two types of butterfly feeders for our school grounds. Which one do you think will work best? Why?

How else can we lure butterflies to our garden? butterflies like nectar plants like the butterfly bush, purple coneflowers, sage, beauty bush, sunflowers, lilacs, snapdragons, and zinnias. They are attracted to red, yellow, orange, pink and purple petals that are flat-topped and have short flower tubes. Make sure there is plenty of sunshine as butterfly adults generally feed only in the sun. Also, place flat stones in your garden to provide space for butterflies to rest, bask in the sun and warm their wings.

Butterfly Life-cycle This video explains the life-cycle of a butterfly. How can we also encourage caterpillars to our garden? Why?