DIY Your Own Butterfly Garden Book

Penang Butterfly Farm is giving 15,000 copies of the book DIY your own Butterfly Garden to the public during events and in phases. The book is accompanied with easy to read instructions, photos, a project planner and seeds of plants to start your own butterfly garden at home. Owners of the book who take enough action to will be rewarded. Book owners and project participants are encouraged to share with us at our Facebook page.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ) for DIY Butterfly Garden

1. Caterpillars eat a lot – will they destroy my host plant?
   Yes, caterpillars will eat up your plants, especially the potted ones. Thus, it is advisable that you control the number of caterpillars on each host plant.
2. What is the minimum number of host plants and nectar plants I need to ensure this project's success?
   You will need more than two plants from each category to build a butterfly garden. In addition to the seeds provided by PBF, you may want to visit a nursery to get more nectar plants.
3. Are the seeds enclosed with this gift book sufficient to start my garden?
   The seeds attached in this book are only to encourage you to kick-start a DIY butterfly garden. You would probably need more nectar plants to attract butterflies to your garden and to provide sufficient host plants for butterflies to lay their eggs.
4. How many species of butterflies can I expect to see if I plant only the seeds attached in this book?
   Butterflies are attracted to nectar plants. You could probably spot a few species frequenting each of your nectar plants. You may plant more variety of nectar plants if your intention is to attract different types of butterflies visit to your garden. Having many types of nectar plants with flowers of different colours will attract different families of butterflies. However, if you plan to breed butterflies, you will need to have specific host plants for that particular butterfly species in your garden.
   
5. How do I prevent infection on the plants?
   You can prevent infection on your plants by regularly inspecting them. Remove infected leaves and branches immediately. However, do not use pesticide as this could kill caterpillars and other green heroes that frequent your garden. Also, over-watering of plants is not advisable as this may cause fungus infection to the plants.
6. How soon can I see a visible result/outcome (Eg. Citing of butterflies or caterpillars)?
   As mentioned in the gift book, participation in this project covers a minimum period of one year. You are advised not to rush into it as growing of host and nectar plants take time. However, adult butterflies may be spotted in the garden if you have many types of flowering plants in your garden.
7. My balcony does not get full sunlight. Is it still possible to create a butterfly garden there?
   Yes, you can create a butterfly garden on your balcony as long as your plants, especially your nectar plants, get some sunlight either in the morning or in the afternoon. However, please keep in mind that nectar plants take longer to bloom without sufficient sunlight.
8. Can I build an indoor butterfly garden?
   Although it is not impossible to build an indoor butterfly garden, it needs more effort (eg. To control temperature, light level and humidity) to make the garden thrive.
9. I am not residing in Penang. Will Penang Butterfly Farm staff visit my garden upon its completion?
   PBF officials' visitations are limited to only those residing on the Penang Island. However, participation in this programme is open to all Malaysians.
10. The "Project Planner" attached to the gift book has spaces allocated for only one host plant and one nectar plant respectively. Can I use my own charting system if I want to grow more plants?
    The project planner attached in our gift book acts only as an example and as you "upgrade" your garden, a custom made project planner that suits you will be a better option.
11. How do I protect butterflies visiting my garden from predators?
    Conduct regular checks on your garden. However, keep in mind that the existence of predators, such as spiders and house geckos, is a sign that your garden is thriving and just let nature takes its course!
12. How do I identify the types of butterflies that visit my garden?
    Collect many photos of the butterflies and caterpillars in your garden and identify them using a good illustrated book listing different types of butterflies. We recommend The Butterflies of the Malay Peninsula written by A. Steven Corbet and H.M. Pendlebury.
13. Do I need to add a water source for the butterflies in my garden?
    Not necessarily. But you may want to add a sprinkler or fountain to your garden to increase the humidity in the garden if it is too dry.
14. How long does each stage of a butterfly's life last?
    The life cycle of butterflies depends on the species. All butterflies have four stages in their life cycle: Egg, larva/ caterpillar, pupa and butterfly.
    Generally, it will take 3-5 days for the egg to hatch into caterpillar. After 2-4 weeks, the caterpillar will pupate. The pupa does not feed at this stage. This stage will take about 7-10 days. An adult butterfly's life span is anywhere between 2-3 weeks.