| Across our many landscapes, small butterfly habitat enhancements can add up to a big difference in butterfly conservation. Butterfly gardening, in combination with the knowledge of local butterfly species and host plant information is a method of creating a habitat that attracts and nurtures butterflies. Citizens are requesting information about butterfly gardening, and desire to attract butterflies to their properties (Malone et al., 2013). There is a plethora of information available to citizens in which they can identify local butterfly species in their area, and what plants those butterflies prefer. However, much of the anecdotal information regarding other butterfly habitat elements, non-plant elements, are not necessarily true or reliable because the information is based on personal accounts, not proven facts or established by research. This study was designed to compare commonly recommended non-plant supplemental techniques for attracting and providing a high quality habitat for butterflies. The non-plant techniques addressed in this research included baiting, puddling, and basking.;The objectives of this research were to determine the preference of butterflies to 1) baiting recipes 2) puddling mixtures, and 3) basking rock surface colors. A research garden was established on the campus of Tarleton State University and the methods of research were: 1) baits were placed in the garden and observed to tally the number of butterfly visits 2) mixtures were added to puddling areas and observed to tally the number of butterfly visits, and 3) basking rocks were painted three different colors---red, black, and white, and placed in the garden and measured for surface temperature increase, and observed to tally the number of butterfly visits. In addition, ancillary environmental data factors were recorded.;There were twenty-six data collections. Results showed the fruit-based bait was the most effective baiting recipe, salt was the most effective puddling treatment, and for basking rocks, the black surface treatment gained the greatest surface temperature increase, and the white surface treatment the least surface temperature increase. There were five butterfly families and twenty species observed. The information gained will be the basis for an expanded study within the Stephenville, TX community. |
