Lots of people write to us saying they got a butterfly house for their garden but don't know what to do with it. So, we decided to put this page together to help our visitors out with this dilemma.

Butterflies are most likely to use the houses during hibernation. They may also use them during the warm months at night as a roosting spot. However, we must point out that we've only heard a couple of butterfly house success stories. Most of them go unoccupied by butterflies, but they sure do make the garden pretty and more interesting.

Your butterfly house should be placed in a sunny location in the garden away from prevailing winds. It should be mounted on a pole or tree about 4 feet off the ground. Inside the house, place a couple slabs of tree bark in a vertical position. This is to provide the butterflies more shelter and something to cling to. Be sure that the bark is not blocking the entrance.

Species most likely to use the house for hibernation are the Compton Tortoiseshell, Gray Comma, Mourning Cloak, Red Admiral, Hoary Comma, Question Mark and other species that are known to overwinter as adults.

To learn how to build your own butterfly house, click here!