Mason Jar Feeder

Motivate butterflies to visit your outdoor space and pollinate your plants by making this DIY butterfly feeder. It’s very straightforward!

This functional feeder is made by filling a glass jar with a sugary solution and suspending it upside down from a garden trellis or tree. A small sponge protruding from a hole in the jar’s lid allows the butterflies to access the sweet, homemade nectar.

What You’ll Need:

Mason jar
Hammer and nails
Sponge
String
Construction paper
Sugar
Water

Directions:

1. Prepare “butterfly food” by mixing nine parts of water with one sugar. Depending on the size of your jar, you’ll use either a teaspoon or a tablespoon.
2. Bring your mixture to a boil until the sugar is dissolved, and then let it fully cool before putting it in the feeder.
3. Punch a small hole in the jar’s lid using your hammer and nail. You’ll be cutting your sponge to fit tightly through the hole, so keep it small. You can always make it more prominent as necessary.
4. Cut your sponge into strings about an inch wide, and then pull it through the hole so a half-inch sponge is sticking out from the top of the lid.
5. Remember, you want the sponge to stick tightly even when wet, so you might need to make it slightly bigger than you think.