Collapsible feeder and protective enclosure

A collapsible protective enclosure for feeding butterflies and the like comprising:

• a generally cylindrical sidewall having generally opposing peripheral ends, said sidewalls including a circumferential rib located at each of said peripheral ends of the sidewall;
• said sidewall being made of multiple U-shaped members assembled to form a mesh material having a spacing between said U-shaped members sufficient to have said mesh material allow ingress and egress of butterflies and the like while excluding larger animals, said U-shaped members each having an apex portion and leg portions;
• said leg portions of at least some of the U-shaped members are pivotally mounted to each of said circumferential ribs, pairs of said U-shaped members generally oppose each other at their respective apex portions wherein said apex portions are joined via attachment means between said U-shaped members, said attachment means are spaced generally concentrically at a generally uniform distance from said circumferential ribs, each said pair of U-shaped members defining a sidewall segment, each said sidewall segment being rotatable on said ribs to impart a collapsibility characteristic to said protective enclosure;
• a peripheral flange pivotally secured to one of said peripheral ends of the sidewall, said peripheral flange being defined by multiple ones of said U-shaped members pivotally attached at their said leg portions to said circumferential rib and unattached at their said apex portions, said peripheral flange being movable inwardly to close the end of said protective enclosure and outwardly to open said end of the protective enclosure;
• said protective enclosure further including a feeding platform including a circular rim having a multi-level plate insertible into said rim whereby the uppermost level of said plate is in substantially parallel contact with said rim, said feeding platform including means for supporting same within said protective enclosure;
• and
• means for hanging said protective enclosure from an overhang support.

A collapsible protective enclosure for feeding butterflies and the like, comprising:

• a generally cylindrical sidewall having generally opposing peripheral ends, said sidewall including at least two circumferential ribs located at each of said peripheral ends of the sidewall,
• said sidewall being of a mesh structure having multiple reticulated U-shaped members of sufficient diameter to have said mesh structure allow ingress and egress of butterflies and the like while excluding larger animals, said U-shaped members having an apex portion and leg portions;
• said leg portions of at least some of the U-shaped members are pivotally mounted to said circumferential ribs, pairs of said U-shaped members generally oppose each other at their respective apex portions wherein said apex portions are joined via attachment means between said U-shaped members, said attachment means are spaced generally concentrically at a generally uniform distance from said circumferential ribs, each said pair of U-shaped members defining a sidewall segment, each said sidewall segment being rotatable on one of said ribs to impart a collapsibility characteristic to said protective enclosure;
• said sidewall having at a top one of said peripheral ends a peripheral flange defined by multiple ones of said U-shaped members pivotally attached at their said leg portions to said circumferential rib and unattached at their said apex portions, said peripheral flange being movable inwardly to close said top or outwardly to open said top of said protective enclosure;
• and
• a feeding tray at a bottom one of said peripheral ends of the sidewall.