Some random thoughts about attracting hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden:

• Hummingbird feeders have a point of local interest. Although they were originally developed in the early 1930s in Boston and used in 1947 by Harold Edgerton for his strobe flash pictures, they were first retailed in 1980 by the Audubon Novelty Company of nearby Medina, New York.

• Many people swear by these feeders. Ruby-throated hummingbirds, our only regularly occurring Eastern species, visit them often, show little or no fear of observers, and provide great pleasure to their hosts. They are remarkably feisty little birds and a male who chooses your feeder as part of his territory will often try to chase away other males and even occasionally females. These tiny visitors will sometimes return year after year.

• In the fall keep an eye out for rarely occurring western species. Rufous and Anna's hummingbirds have been reported at feeders in recent years.

• Preparing the liquid for a hummingbird feeder is straightforward. Dissolve one part ordinary table sugar in four parts boiling tap water. Cool the mixture before filling your feeder and keep any left-over in your refrigerator for later use. Experts recommend that you not add food coloring, honey, gelatin or brown sugar.

• Hanging a hummingbird feeder carries with it responsibility. In summer you should clean and refill your feeder twice weekly. Discard any remaining sugar solution and wash it out with hot tap water. Do not use soap. Once a month soak your feeder for an hour in a gallon of water to which a quarter cup of bleach has been added.

• Hummingbirds have little sense of smell and respond mostly to color -- especially reds. That is why the false flowers on most feeders are red. Avoid feeders with yellow markings as those attract bees and wasps. Keep ants away by smearing caster oil on mounts.

• There are a number of garden plants that attract both hummingbirds and butterflies. Among them are the flowers: bee balm, cardinal flower, Mexican sunflower, common milkweed and zinnia; the shrubs: butterfly bush and lilac; and the trumpet creeper vine. For best growing success, plant these in areas that have plenty of sunlight. Whenever possible, choose red cultivars of species that have more than one form.

• Some butterflies are attracted to very specific plants -- for example, the monarch to milkweed, the great spangled fritillary to violets. Similarly some plants attract only one or two butterfly species. If your budget is limited, pick plants like those listed earlier that will attract many species. Among those, zinnias are surely the best; one list has them visited by 27 species, more even than the highly touted (and non-native) butterfly bush.

• Many butterflies engage in a behavior called puddling. They congregate in muddy areas where they drink fluids rich in salts and minerals. Maintain a muddy patch of dirt and you may observe this activity.

• Pesticides pose serious dangers to both hummingbirds and butterflies. The delicate butterflies are, of course, most effected. Virtually all of the broad-spectrum and systemic chemicals will kill them and so will some otherwise highly recommended biological controls like Bt. Not directly so susceptible, hummingbirds feed on insects as well as nectar and in doing so they build up concentrations of poisons. Don't attract these delightful visitors only to destroy them; reduce the use of poisons in your garden.