Subject: Re: attract bflies to a wooden house

From: "Charles V. Covell Jr." <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 1995 13:55:52 EDT

Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292
PHONE: (502) 852-6771

I would like to know from any member of the group whether they know of ANY
success with these butterfly "hibernating houses."  They seem to have caught
the fancy of the public, and I get questions about them.  In my experience
(45 years' worth) with butterflies, overwintering adults seek out sheltered
places to hibernate; but I cannot imagine their using a commercially made
or home-made hibernaculum as these except strictly coincidentally.  I would
guess that such houses are not effective.  I would appreciate comments from
any of you.  Thanks.  Charlie Covell

Charles V. Covell Jr.
Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292-0001 U.S.A.
Phone: (502) 852-6771  FAX: (502) 8520725

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From: [email-masked] (Kurt Fox)
Date: 11 Apr 1995 11:08:47 GMT

Charles V. Covell Jr. <[email-masked]>  writes:

> <stuff deleted>  In my experience
> or home-made hibernaculum as these except strictly coincidentally. <stuff deleted> 

I have never heard of commercial butterfly houses working (ie: like bird houses),
but what about homemade butterfly 'houses'. An article I read (I don't remember when
or where) suggested to try to build a shelter made of wood/logs. The logs would be
stacked in a cross-hatched pattern such that it would be 4' x 8'. The whole thing
was to be covered with tar paper (with sufficient holes for access). The logs
provided the necessary 'house' while the tar paper kept out excess wind/water and
because it was black was a heating 'element'.

As Mr. Covell has suggested, it may be just purely coincidental. But, I, too, would
like to know if anybody has heard if this really works?

Kurt Fox