[header] How to attract butterflies with fruit [title] Place a plate on a larger saucer filled with water to keep ants away. [step] Unfortunately, ants will also want to snack on any fruit you leave out. Luckily, ants don't cross water. 
By leaving the fruit on a plate and surrounding it with water, you can keep any ants away from your butterflies' food. [substeps] Bees and wasps will also eat the fruit you leave out, so be careful so you or your family do not get stung.