Boy am I stupid

16 years ago

I can't believe I did this. The watermelon the butterflies were enjoying finally bit the dust. I had some overly-ripe bananas, so I mashed them up real good and put them out on the deck in a tin pie plate.

I came home today after running errands and checked it out. There was a hackberry butterfly laying belly-up, spread-eagle, stuck in the muck. I felt awful. I carefully pulled it out and set it on the railing, making sure its wings weren't stuck. It seemed really weak. Its not there, so hopefully it caught its breath and flew away.

I can't believe I did something so stupid. What was I thinking??

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Comments (7)

runmede
16 years ago
I usually put some thing in the middle like a flat rock so that they will have something to land on. I found out that Dole Mixed Cherry with Fruit cups draws them in big time. But, it also draws in the bees. So far, the Red Spotted Purples love it. One Red Admiral and one Hackberry came by, too.
catherinet
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks runmede,
I just won't do that again. I'll put piece of very ripe bananas out instead. I'm working on some peaches too.
Same here......the Red Spotted Purples seem to be the big takers.
There's just something about mashed up bananas that turns into cement. Its much too gooey for their delicate legs and wings.
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bandjzmom
16 years ago
Well, I don't think it was stupid. It was just an oversight on your part. You were trying to do something good. Now, I have learned from your post, and I will go out and stick some rocks into my gloopy fruit mess as a result. Thanks for sharing this.
I am having good luck with fruit finally. Yesterday, I had 4 Hackberries and 1 RSP on the fruit! YAY!
catherinet
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks bandjzmom!
I wonder if butterflies are like birds. Birds have their itineraries as to where their food sources are and don't always stray from those "sure things". If you put birdfeed out in August, you might not have any takers for quite awhile. Maybe now that those butterflies have found your fruit treasure, they will come back often. Good luck!
bandjzmom
16 years ago
I sure hope that they do anyway! This morning, I could not wait to look out to see what would come. I was not disappointed. For the first time ever, I had a Question Mark! I went out and looked at my fruit container after reading your post and realized that I have some built in perches. I bought a decorative DIVIDED glass serving dish at a local discount store for $5. The edges of the divided spaces serve as good perches for the butterflies!
tdogmom
16 years ago
I agree! Not 'stupid' but just an oversight. :) I bet the butterfly was just so eager it didn't pay attention to its landing...

When I read the subject line, I thought I was going to be reading on about ants arriving in the mix!
catherinet
Original Author
16 years ago
bandjzmom........a glass dish with dividers.......how fancy! :)
I noticed Jeanner had a glass dish too. I guess I need to get a little fancier. lol!
Its strange that the ants haven't found my fruit plate yet (knock on wood!). I guess they like bigger challenges.......like climbing up my big shepherd's hook to the hummingbird feeder.....and then drowning in the syrup. Silly ants.