Birds, Butterflies and Benefits

Author: Ken Goodwin
There are many benefits to attracting butterflies and birds to your backyard. The benefits range from personal and family to ecological and environmental.
Let's first start with benefits to you and your family. The first benefit that comes to my mind is the pleasure you derive from listening to the songs of the unseen birds. Then there is also the enjoyment one gets from watching them in the comfort of your own backyard. In the attempt to attract them, you are helping them by providing them with a safe haven and staving off possible extinction. You are also receiving an education by creating the possibility to study their habits and personalities. It can be a fun means to bring the family together for 15 minutes or even an hour or more. Taking the time to watch them provides stress relief in our busy lives. The fresh air during the upkeep of your garden, and then during your relaxing vigils, provides more vitamin D and detoxifies the body.
Birds and butterflies eat insects. The birds alone are able to hold check on the most powerful race on earth-insects. Amongst the insects they eat are aphids, mosquitoes, spiders and others that might not be welcome in your yard or garden. This eliminates the need for harsh insecticides. Our feathered friends also eat seeds that would otherwise develop into weeds. Another source of food for the birds is the butterflies themselves. The butterflies, when they are in the caterpillar stage, provide a food source for birds, particularly the nestlings. There are a lot of nutrients packed into that small, soft body packet.
They also provide for flower pollination. Some plants are pollinated by the wind. However, most are pollinated by insects. In the case of butterflies, they collect pollen on their long legs as they sip nectar. This pollination is not only beneficial to the plants, but as the plants grow, they in turn attract more butterflies and birds, and increase the beauty and joy of your garden. The abundance of butterflies indicates a consistent and healthier ecosystem and environment. This environment can be enhanced by using native plants to attract the butterflies and birds. By using native plants, you use less water, thereby using environmental conservation. The use of native plants also helps to increase the value of your home.
As you can see, there are several ways that both the butterflies and birds provide benefits to us, the environment and to each other. Just remember to take time out to not only smell the roses, but to also enjoy the creatures you have worked so hard to bring into your own little piece of paradise.