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Butterflies

Build Your Own
Butterfly House

Remember, Safety First!

Be sure to complete this project with a supervising parent or guardian. Some of the tools used can be dangerous without proper knowledge of how to use them. Make sure to use protection! Safety glasses and gloves can prevent splinters or wood fragments from harming you. 

Here are quick step by step instructions to create your own Butterfly House!

Materials

  • 2.5' x 1.5' x 0.5" Pine Plywood

  • 5' x 1" x 1"  Wooden Post

  • 6" x 7" Metal top

  • Caulk

  • Screws

    • Sizes between 0.5-1 inch​ and 1-1.5 inches

  • Screw Driver

  • Wood Glue

  • Table Saw

  • Jig Saw

  • Pencil

  • Ruler or measuring tape

  • 1 pint Polyurethane

  • 1 pint Stain (color of your choice)

  • 1 pint Paint (color of your choice)

    • Make sure the inside paint/stain is animal friendly!​

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Step 1: Measure and Cut Wood

Using a pencil and ruler, divide the wood into pieces. Measure accordingly: 

(2) Front/Back: 5.5" x 15"

(2) Sides: 3.5" x 15"

(1) "Teapot" Upper: 5.5" x 6.5"

(1) "Teapot" Lower: 3" x 4"

(1) Bottom: 5" x 6.5" 

 

Have an adult cut the wood for you using the table saw or a similar tool.  Be sure to cut as straight as possible! Sand the edges of your wood for a clean finish.

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Step 2: Measure and Drill Butterfly Slots

In this step, we will be making butterfly slots. These little doorways are how the butterflies will be entering and exiting the house.

  1. Select one of the 5.5" x 15" pieces that you cut. This will be the front of the house. 

  2. Using a ruler, measure 3-5 openings vertically along the front. Mark two circles for the top and bottom of the slot (show below). I recommend having the slots about 0.5" wide and 2" tall. 

  3. Using a 0.5" drill bit, drill where you marked the two circles as the top and bottom of the slot.

  4. Next, taking the jig saw, cut in between the circles to connect them. *Start with the jig saw in one hole and then connect to the other side*

Now you have your butterfly slots!

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Step 3: Paint the Pieces of Your Butterfly House

For this step, I would recommend using white as a base for the outside pieces and a dark brown for the inside. You can use whatever color you want, but make sure that the paint you select for the inside is safe for animals!

Note: For the "Teapot" Lower piece, you only have to paint one side as you will be attaching one side to the "Teapot" Upper. 

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Step 4: Assemble the "Teapot Lid"

For this design, we will be creating a "teapot lid." This lid will stay securely on the house while also allowing you to easily peek inside. 

  1. Select your "Teapot" Upper: 5.5" x 6.5" and "Teapot" Lower: 3" x 4" wood pieces. You will also need 2 screws for this step; I recommend screws between 0.5-1 inch.

  2. Taking your caulk, put a little bit of it on the "Teapot" Lower. Spread this smoothly on the wooden piece so there are no bumps. Make sure you don't put too much caulk on as this will make it harder to put in the screws!

  3. Place the smaller piece ("Teapot" Lower), on top of the larger piece ("Teapot" Top).

  4. Use your pencil to mark where you will be screwing your screws: 1 in the top left corner and 1 in the bottom right corner.

  5. Take your drill and drill guide holes for the screws. This will prevent fracturing in the wood and make it easier for the screws to go in. 

  6. Drill your screws into the wood through the guide holes. 

Now you have the top complete!

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Step 5: Assemble the Butterfly House

For this step, we will be assembling the Butterfly House.

  1. Gather all of you house pieces. 

    • 2) Front/Back: 5.5" x 15"

    • (2) Sides: 3.5" x 15"

    • (1) Bottom: 5" x 6.5" 

  2. Lay the pieces down and assemble the pieces so that the Sides are in between the Front and Back pieces (shown below). 

  3. Mark on the Front and Back wood pieces where you will be drilling the screws. I recommend 3 screws for each edge; 12 screws minimum will be needed to connect the Sides to the Front and Back. 

    • Note: Make sure you put the screws in the middle of the sides so that they don't poke through to the inside of the box . I had issues with this, so be sure to measure where you put your screws!

  4. Take the Front and Back away from the box and drill guide holes for the screws. This will make it easier for the screws to go in the Side wood pieces. 

  5. Take your caulk and spread a thin line on the sides of the Side pieces. Make sure it is not too thick! Spread the caulk gently.

  6. Reassemble the structure, once again place the Side pieces in between the Front and Back pieces. 

  7. Drill the screws to connect the Side, Front, and Back pieces. 

  8. Decide which side will be the bottom and turn the house so that side is face up. 

  9. Place the Bottom piece on top and once again mark where you will put the screws. 

  10. Take the Bottom piece and drill guide holes for the screws. 

  11. Spread caulk on the wooden base and place the Bottom on top. 

  12. Connect the Bottom with 3 screws.

Now your house is assembled!

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Step 6: Stain or Paint Your Butterfly House

Now that you have assembled your butterfly houses, feel free to decorate as you wish! Colors such as red, orange, yellow, blue, and purple attract butterflies. 

Note: If you choose to paint your house, make sure to put on a protective coat of polyurethane overtop your masterpiece. This will protect your house from the elements and keep your colors bright!

Step 7: Attach to the Pole

In this step we will be attaching the house to the pole!

  1. Gather you Butterfly House and 5' x 1" x 1"  Wooden Post. Also select your screws. The screw size should be between 1-1.5 inches.

  2. Lay your house down on a flat surface with the Back face up. 

  3. Place the wooden post on top and measure and mark where the screws will go. The screws will go from outside (the pole) to inside (the house). 

  4. Drill guide holes for the screws into the post. This will make putting in the screws much easier!

  5. Layer some caulk in between the house and the pole. 

  6. Using your screwdriver, attach the house to the pole.

Now your house is complete!

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Step 8: Find a Home for Your Butterfly House

Now you can pick a spot for your Butterly House to live! Choose somewhere near a garden so that the butterflies can be close to flowers. 

Butterflies

Let me know how your experience went!

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