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🌿 Nature Study: Autotrophs vs Heterotrophs

How Living Things Get Food Have you ever wondered where food really comes from? Like… how does a plant grow from just sunlight and water? And why do animals always seem to be eating something? This blog post was inspired by sunflower seeds emerging from our garden soil with their seeds still attached to their leaves and by a Gardening 101 Field Trip.  We were introduced to the concept of categorizing living things by how they get their food during my littles last virtual agriculture field trip and had to share our findings here. So now that we all know that living things can be grouped by how they get their food. Let’s break it down! 🌞 Autotrophs: The “Food Makers” Autotrophs are living things that can make their own food . They don’t need to eat other living things because they can create energy from: ☀️ Sunlight (this is called photosynthesis) 💧 Water 🌬️ Air (carbon dioxide) 🌼 Examples of autotrophs: Plants (like grass, trees, flowers) Algae (tiny plant-like ...
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Nature Study: Attract Butterflies To Your Garden!

Spring is in the air so what better time so talk about - butterflies!? 

Niagara Falls Butterfly Conservatory


We took a trip to a Butterfly Conservatory where we learned about the different stages of a butterfly’s life.

We saw all the stages: the eggs, the caterpillars and the  butterflies slowly emerging from their chrysalis and figuring out their wings. 

We also learned that butterflies not only like nectar from flowers but they also really like fruit. More on this later...first let’s answer a question that may be on your mind. 

Apart from being pretty to look at and peaceful creatures...

Why Are Butterflies Important?

Butterflies are natural pollinators and help with the reproduction of crops and plants. A decline in the butterfly (or bee population) can result in a decline or loss of some native plant species or poor performance of crops that rely solely on butterflies for pollination.

How To Attract Butterflies To Your Garden 

Pick a sunny spot. Apparently, butterflies are cold blooded creatures so they enjoy soaking up the warmth of the sun.


Plant flowers that attract butterflies. Plant several varieties to attract different types of butterflies or plant milk weed to attract the endangered species like the Monarch Butterfly. 

Place shallow plates of water and sand or water, sand and soil around so they have a water source. 


Peg a sweet treat to share with them. On our trip we discovered that butterflies really like oranges. Place some wedges on a plate or butterfly feeder for them to enjoy. 

DIY butterfly feeder waiting for
the butterflies

Provide a perch for them (backyard pavers work too). Aside from large leaves and flowers, butterflies like to perch on large smooth stones. Who knows...they may even feel comfortable enough in your own backyard to perch on you!

What are some other fun or interesting facts you’ve observed about butterflies? Share them in the comments below.

Tip: Download the SEEK APP from iNaturalist & National Geographic to identify the different types of butterflies in your garden or park. 

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