DIY: a Butterfly House
When you think of a butterfly house, you probably think of a conservatory you can visit and see mass numbers of butterflies in a flower-filled environment. Or you may think of a store-bought wooden house you can set in your yard in hopes of attracting butterflies. However, a butterfly house can also be net structure you can make and use to house butterflies on a temporary basis to observe and enjoy. Making your own net butterfly house takes little time and effort and is a safe environment for butterflies. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Net tulle
- Ribbon
- 2 cardboard cake rounds
- Hot glue
- Tree branch
- Open eye hook
- Baby food jar lid
- Plastic pot scrubber
- Sugar
- Butterflies
Instructions
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1
Fold a piece of 6 by 4 foot net tulle into a 2 by 4 foot rectangle by folding it in thirds.
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2
Tie the 2 foot ends together with 12 inch pieces of ribbon or twine. Place the string 4 inches from the edge of the tulle. Pull it tight and knot it to secure it. On one end of the tulle, tie the loose ends of the string together, as well, to create a loop. This is now the top of the butterfly house. You can use this loop to hang the butterfly house when it is complete. You should now have a tube made out of the tulle netting.
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3
Place a 14 inch cake round at the bottom of the tulle netting tube. Insert it through the overlapping entrance hole the netting made when you folded it. Press the round into the netting to keep it expanded and the entrance hole taut. Place a second 14 inch cake round into the tulle tube and press it into the top of the tulle tube. Apply hot glue around the top cake round to hold it in place.
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4
Insert a 12 to 18-inch long tree branch, with several limbs, into the tulle tube, inserting it through the entrance hole. Rest the bottom of the branch on the bottom cardboard round to finish the butterfly house.
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5
Twist an open eye hook into the ceiling where you want to hang your completed butterfly house. Hang the butterfly house using the loop you made in Step 2.
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6
Clean the inside of a baby food jar lid. Cut a plastic pot scrubber into the inside of the lid. Dissolve 1 tsp. sugar in 4 tsp. boiling water. Allow the sugar mixture to cool completely. Pour the mixture into the jar lid, over the pot scrubber. Fill the lid half full. Place the lid inside the butterfly house.
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7
Separate the overlapping tulle and gently place butterflies into the butterfly house.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Change the sugar mixture daily. Extra mix can be kept in the refrigerator.
Butterflies should only be kept for three to four days at a time. Release them after this time and add new butterflies.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
