Where are the butterflies?
- Thread starter Woody girl
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I cannot say that I have seen many butterflies this year, but one sneaked into my greenhouse, laid eggs and disappeared.....my cabbage seedlings are being devastated by large cabbage white caterpillars 
Hummingbird hawk-moth on Abelia this morning. A bit blurred because the critter wouldn't stop to pose.
A few more butterflies on my budlia today including peacocks which were absent yesterday.
It's been a bit drier and sunnier today. Still not as many as normal. Many species missing this year. But I'm so glad to see them. I was beginning to get realy worried.
It's been a bit drier and sunnier today. Still not as many as normal. Many species missing this year. But I'm so glad to see them. I was beginning to get realy worried.
I spotted something that looked like a bird in distress in the garden a few years ago. Then realised I hadn't a clue what it was. Turned out to be a hummingbird moth being stung by a wasp !
I didn't even know we had those moths here.
Rather poor photos, since it was literally a blur, but on this thread....
bushcraftuk.com
I didn't even know we had those moths here.
Rather poor photos, since it was literally a blur, but on this thread....
Wasp
Could this be a 1st for the year, bit early? Central uk. A male common wasp(vespula vulgaris)just gave him some sugar water & he’s really picked up really nice.
bushcraftuk.com
Walking down the grass track to the near wood, scrub to my left, meadow to my right, and I'm walking through clouds of Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small Copper, Small Skipper, Common Blue, and Large Whites - we've never had so many butterflies 
The Small Tortoiseshell don't move off the banks of marjoram nearer the house.
The Small Tortoiseshell don't move off the banks of marjoram nearer the house.
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We've had plenty of large white (Pieris brassicae) on the lavender, here, for the past couple of months. Over the past two weeks, other species have begun to appear, but I'm not so good at identifying them. Maybe tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) and meadow brown (Maniola jurtina).
I've seen a hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) a couple of times but wasn't quick enough to get a photo.
I've seen a hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) a couple of times but wasn't quick enough to get a photo.
I'm starting to conclude this year is just.... different. We have a good number of butterflies now, saw seven peacocks on the buddleia today. Plenty of various skippers, browns, blues, tortoiseshells, whites etc in the fields and the fritillaries have made their way up to the house from the woodland. Plenty of bumbles about, the knapweed is covered in orange tailed critters. Spear thistles are home to many other bumbles and solitary bees, the everlasting sweet pea seems to be loved by the leaf cutter bees. We also now have plenty of ladybirds about, unlike last year where I saw hardly any. Somewhat strangley our honey bees seem to think the season is over whereas in previous years they'd be out in numbers on the knapweed and brambles.
Speaking of peacocks, what native plants do people see them? We have plenty of red admirals about and they are now on the buddleia but before that was out they were on other flowers such as the privet but I dont recall the peacocks on anything else. I also have loads of nettles about and havent seen any caterpillars on them, which is unusual.
Speaking of peacocks, what native plants do people see them? We have plenty of red admirals about and they are now on the buddleia but before that was out they were on other flowers such as the privet but I dont recall the peacocks on anything else. I also have loads of nettles about and havent seen any caterpillars on them, which is unusual.
Peacocks will feed on most nectar producing flowers in my experience - they seem keen on our bramble; the caterpillars, only on Common Nettle. In autumn we get them on the rotting apples and the over-ripe blackberries.
The plant with the most bee, hoverfly and butterfly species on at the moment is the marjoram.
The plant with the most bee, hoverfly and butterfly species on at the moment is the marjoram.
Plenty of butterflies in our garden yesterday. First time I've seen a "normal" number of them this year.
A very good Year for butterflies here in Shropshire. I thought it might be soa couple of months ago when we got lots of June bugs. We’ve only had one or two in recent years. Wasps nest right under the grandchildren’s swings. We shall let the threads of time sort them out unless we really have to. Lots of hover flies = lots of young robins and the odd horseshoe bat. Most bees round here are of the hairy white arsed variety but two sizes of bumble bee and a rock dwelling bee. This latest week of alternating rain and sun seems to have worked wonders. That and the superb nettle crop this year. I was instructed regarding NoMo May and have responded with a NoMo 2023. It seems to have worked!
They flutter in great numbers on the ivy that covers our garden fences that run alongside the woodland.
I went out to put something in the car last night, and the Evening Primroses were in full bloom and absolutely full of moths. Great big cabbage white sized moths.
Evening primroses are very easy to grow, not toxic, break down well in the compost bins, and the moths love them.
Evening primroses are very easy to grow, not toxic, break down well in the compost bins, and the moths love them.
Funnily enough, whilst out walking on the Downs at the weekend I thought just the same thing - 'what a lot of moths'.
They were mainly common carpet moths and treble bar moths, but a noticeable number. Saw this oddly coloured, but very small, moth as well. I tried my hardest to get a decent, diagnostic, picture but the little bugger just wouldn't sit still long enough. Love to know what it was - never seen anything like it before.
I've noticed an increase in number of garden tiger moths as well this year.
The blue butterflies seem to have got their second wind. Saw a few adonis blues flitting about, and a chalk hill blue.
They were mainly common carpet moths and treble bar moths, but a noticeable number. Saw this oddly coloured, but very small, moth as well. I tried my hardest to get a decent, diagnostic, picture but the little bugger just wouldn't sit still long enough. Love to know what it was - never seen anything like it before.
I've noticed an increase in number of garden tiger moths as well this year.
The blue butterflies seem to have got their second wind. Saw a few adonis blues flitting about, and a chalk hill blue.
Found this beauty today. I believe it's a sycamore moth caterpillar. I'm at least 33% right!
