The Plant Man column
for publication week of 09/14/03 - 09/20/03
(698 words)
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The Plant Man
by Steve Jones
http://www.landsteward.com


Birds, bats and butterflies: How to make them welcome!


Lions and tigers and bears (oh my!)... It's my guess that you'd agree with
Dorothy on this one. There are some critters you just don't want to invite
into your landscape. Lions, tigers and bears are probably right at the top
of your "keep out" list, closely followed by some more likely interlopers
such as deer and coyotes.

I'll have some ideas for turning away unwanted visitors in a future column.
But today I want to talk about ways to attract wildlife guests that are both
beautiful and beneficial: birds, bats and butterflies! Sorry about all those
B's!

Let's start with birds. Providing bird houses and bird feeders is a fairly
obvious way to attract a bunch of feathered friends. When it comes to bird
houses, there are literally hundreds of styles for you to choose from. But
not all of them are actually practical for birds to use and are sold
primarily to be ornamental.

In fact some so-called bird houses can even be harmful to birds, according
to an excellent article by Christine Tarski at http://www.birding.about.com
titled "Complete Guide to Bird Houses." You can click on a direct link to
that site when you go to my web site www.landsteward.org and find this
column archived under "The Plant Man" heading.

Christine points out that the bird house you select should have the correct
dimensions for the type of birds you want to attract. You need to consider
the inside area, the entrance hole size and the height the hole is from the
floor of the bird house. The article includes a comprehensive chart of bird
house specs for different types of birds.

Another important consideration will be drainage and ventilation. Baby birds
can drown unless any accumulated rainwater can drain away; and adequate
ventilation will allow air to flow through on hot days.

If you're planning to put up a bird feeder, it's a good idea to position it
early in the season and then keep it stocked throughout the winter, so that
birds become accustomed to visiting you, confident that they'll find a
plentiful supply of goodies. Again, the birding.about site has some free
easy- to-build plans for making your own bird feeder if you're looking for a
little building project!

The sight and sound of hummingbirds is particularly delightful. As well as
hanging and filling some hummingbird feeders, you can plant shrubs that
naturally attract the little buzzers to your neck of the woods. I have a
list of plants that are "hummingbird magnets" and I'll be happy to e-mail it
to you if you drop a line to

From birds to bats. I know some people have an aversion to bats, but I
can
assure you that really they pose no tangible danger to you. What CAN be
dangerous are those pesky mosquitoes, and the good news is that a single bat
can catch and eat literally thousands of mosquitoes in a single night.
Install a couple of bat houses and next summer you should find yourself
spending less time scratching mosquito bites!

Regular readers know that I'm a big fan of butterfly houses. Not only are
they attractive structures, but they provide a "home base" for butterflies
to remain in my vicinity. I find butterflies to be a particularly relaxing
sight as they flutter silently around my garden, and I make sure that the
houses are placed close to some Buddleia davidii, otherwise known as
butterfly bushes. Once again, you can find more detailed information about
butterfly houses and Buddleia at my web site, or send me an e-mail and I'll
send you the direct link.

Fall is now upon us, and this is a good time to be planting to attract the
wildlife you're happy to entertain as guests in your landscape. Add housing
and feeders and you'll find you'll have plenty of happy "tenants" all year
long!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and
landscaping to and for resources and additional
information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org where you
can also subscribe to Steve's free e-mailed newsletter.