Where are the butterflies?

[Woody girl]

I read in the guardian that it's a problem due to the weather, ie climate change. Last years heat had a big effect, and butterflies have been in decline since the 70's.
As a child, I can remember playing in the garden and there were so many that I spent hours chasing and catching them in my old fishing net. I'd find caterpillars everywhere, and I used to collect them and had an old fish tank, which my dad set up, where I used to keep them and watch them turn into butterflies. ladybugs were almost a nuisance. The air was alive with insects, that was in a large town. Not so now, and I live much more rural than before. So scary and sad.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

I read in the guardian that it's a problem due to the weather, ie climate change. Last years heat had a big effect, and butterflies have been in decline since the 70's.
As a child, I can remember playing in the garden and there were so many that I spent hours chasing and catching them in my old fishing net. I'd find caterpillars everywhere, and I used to collect them and had an old fish tank, which my dad set up, where I used to keep them and watch them turn into butterflies. ladybugs were almost a nuisance. The air was alive with insects, that was in a large town. Not so now, and I live much more rural than before. So scary and sad.

Indeed. Habitat destruction, pollution, urbanisation, pesticides & climate change have seen a loss of over 90% of flying insect populations worldwide. There was a time when taking even a short car journey, the front & windscreen would be covered in spattered insects & now even taking a long journey, there will only be a few unfortunate casualties glued to the windscreen. The loss of insects also means a decline of those animals who feed on them & our once common or garden birds will be particularly badly affected.

 

[Broch]

We could all contribute to the Great Butterfly Count later this month and get an objective view of the situation.

Big Butterfly Count

bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org

It is my observation that many species of moth have been late or lower in numbers but that butterflies (with us) have not been particularly low. But wildlife does fluctuate year on year with high numbers when conditions are right and lower numbers following a 'bad' year (such as last year's drought). A single year (or even a few) of low numbers is less concerning than the long-term decline in almost all insect species.

 

[Wander]

Yup, we're doing that at work with the patients in a couple of weeks.

 

[TLM]

While I think that the total amount of butterflys is normal the species distribution varies here quite a lot from year to year. Like this year more than usual black-veined whites, less than usual gossamer-winged butterflys. Lots of Argynnini just this morning.

I have about 1.5 hectares of near natural meadow area to look at plus some garden flowers but some of the best atractors are not in flower yet.

 

[sidpost]

Hardly any visitors to our garden (south of Oxford), although we've had masses of Dragonflies.?. more than normal. Bees about the same as normal. Not had any time away from work so countryside could be fine.
Alex.

Here in Texas (USA) the Dragonfly population is up this year compared to years past. Not huge but, a noticeable increase.

 

[Ystranc]

The lime trees are absolutely full of bees. Every tree sounds like a swarm. I’m seeing plenty of meadow brown and ringlets but no painted ladies or red admirals yet.

 

[Kadushu]

Saw this one (comma?) and a peacock yesterday... And several of the ubiquitous cabbage whites.

 

[Disabled Preppers]

Well we had a red admiral the other day and a few gabbage whites but i think the butterflies are 3 doors up they have a huge and i mean huge pink bhudlia in full flower and wow it is a nice sight , my wife popped up and asked for some of the flowers once they die i am going to try growing it from seed we have a few in our garden smaller and purple and did have a white but lost that .
We have also got a few hydrangias to and a lovely special varity in the front garden that this year has loads of flower again might try keeping some and shaking on pots in the poly tunnel over winter .

 

[Broch]

You probably already know this, but buddleia don't always grow true to type from seed. They are easily propagated from cuttings - either now (soft cuttings) or in autumn (hard cuttings) - that way you will be sure to get the same flowering plant as the parent.

 

[Disabled Preppers]

Hi Broch thanks for the heads up , we just like to mess round really lol , i know so much to do but well it is the fun of the not knowing i think , we have so many baby ones pop up each year most are the plain old wild purple but i was so sad to not find the white this year it died back behind the BBQ area the lilac is coming on now but well i guess it will be the same as apple pips and pear you never know what you will get

 

[Kadushu]

I've got a self sown apple tree that sprang up in my lawn. It must be around 5 years old and has its first apples this year.

 

[Broch]

I've got a self sown apple tree that sprang up in my lawn. It must be around 5 years old and has its first apples this year.

We are off on a tangent now - but are you sure there was no apple tree there in the past? New saplings will grow from an old root that lies buried if it's not been too long.

 

[Kadushu]

We are off on a tangent now - but are you sure there was no apple tree there in the past? New saplings will grow from an old root that lies buried if it's not been too long.

There probably was but suckers from rootstock are quite distinctive and the fruit is pretty foul. It actually popped up under a tree I planted in 2012 so should be at least half that variety - Discovery. Based on that and the current size of the fruit it could be ripe in early August so that'll be interesting.

 

[Kadushu]

P. S. saw a red admiral today.

 

[Wander]

I think the butterflies must have got their second wind.
There's been loads over the last couple of weeks.
Went for a lovely walk on Sunday - loads of big red admirals, coppers, commas, peacocks, and plenty others.
Sitting in the back garden earlier and saw a mahoosive large white. It was a LARGE large white. Looked like a union twixt butterfly and rhino. That big.
But I think some of the ones who normally come out earlier in the season (the blues) have taken a bullet this year.

 

[Broch]

We've now got common blues and Essex skippers - still no peacocks

 

[Scottieoutdoors]

@Lean'n'mean

I don't know about where you're from, but the kamikaze bugs are still around when I drive... in our van my wife when a passenger has the unfortunate position thats not quite covered by the wipers..

As for butterflies, we see some by our flowers but I suppose not loads. Because we're city centre its nice to see the bees.

 

[Woody girl]

Four butterflies on my budlia today... at last! Two red admirals and two small tortoiseshell. One large white trying to find my cauliflowers. So a total of five in the garden today in the couple of hours I spent tidying up the Bush and cutting off spent flowers.
Still no ladybirds, and very few bees, I noticed about six or seven on the budlia. Very low count this year.

 

[rarms]

We have masses of red admirals down here is Sussex