Basic elements of butterfly gardening

There are several elements that are basic when planning your butterfly garden. First, butterflies really prefer sunny areas. They warm their wings in the sun and they flutter about, nectaring on flowers and some other surprising things that you may not have thought about. I try to choose plants that do well in the sun. Flowers that I have in my garden include butterfly bush, cosmos, Tithonia (Mexican sunflower), zinnias, verbena, lantana, daylilies, asters, milkweed and some others. These are all sun-loving plants that do well without much tending or watering. Of course, I try to keep up with the many weeds that appear, but usually by the end of summer, the weeds have won the battle.
Other things that some butterflies will seek is animal excrement and sap from trees. Rotting fruit attracts many species, also. I try to put out old bananas or any kind of fruit that has passed its peak. I put this fruit not so close to the house, as it will attract ants, flies and other animals.