Where are the butterflies?
- Thread starter Woody girl
- Start date
Well i am so glad more people are trying to plant the plants our bee's and moths and butterflies need not to mention the other little bugs .
We have been planting lots of the old primroses because they look lovely under the silver birches and come on well after the wild garlic and other ground cover .
When we moved here we had to drive past where the JLR plant was being built and the service roads and i was so angree i watched a land grader just munch a whole sloping bank of wild primroses up and then pull it to the bottom and then in to dump trucks that ot ne is terrible .
As to the catapillars i only know of one and he was Cilly was a catapillar Cilly was my friend lol , the rest i am sure you all know
We have been planting lots of the old primroses because they look lovely under the silver birches and come on well after the wild garlic and other ground cover .
When we moved here we had to drive past where the JLR plant was being built and the service roads and i was so angree i watched a land grader just munch a whole sloping bank of wild primroses up and then pull it to the bottom and then in to dump trucks that ot ne is terrible .
As to the catapillars i only know of one and he was Cilly was a catapillar Cilly was my friend lol , the rest i am sure you all know
Isn't evolution wonderful ? 
Looking at that wee beastie, it's whole being is screaming, "I am not edible!! "
Looking at that wee beastie, it's whole being is screaming, "I am not edible!! "
I’m planning out my garden at the moment. I’d like one half at the bottom to attract bees and butterflies.
What would you recommend to plant ? I don’t want anything growing higher than around 2 metres as I have plenty of trees just behind.
The plot would be around 6m x 3m
What would you recommend to plant ? I don’t want anything growing higher than around 2 metres as I have plenty of trees just behind.
The plot would be around 6m x 3m
Evening primroses and St.John's wort. Foxgloves, lemon balm (melissa) and of all things, Tansy. It does not smell good, but the hoverflies, etc., absolutely love it. Definitely back of the border for that one.I’m planning out my garden at the moment. I’d like one half at the bottom to attract bees and butterflies.
What would you recommend to plant ? I don’t want anything growing higher than around 2 metres as I have plenty of trees just behind.
The plot would be around 6m x 3m
All of those are really easy to grow and easy to cut back and tidy away too.
We have large areas of scrub in our 'wildlife garden' and things like bramble have pollinators on them from the first blossom in spring and then in autumn all manner of invertebrates feeding off the over-ripe fruit. Elsewhere in the rough grass we have knapweed which attracts butterflies throughout its long flowering season.
However, you probably don't want bramble and knapweed in a garden - so we have marjoram and cat mint around the house and they are covered in butterflies, bees, hoverflies and more. We also have an escallonia against a wall that is a real draw to Red Admiral and a berberis darwinni that is covered in bumble bees early in the year. The latter two, being shrubs, you will have to prune to keep the height down eventually.
Gatekeeper on Bramble
Common Blue on Knapweed
Small Tortoiseshell on Marjoram
Red Admiral on Escallonia
However, you probably don't want bramble and knapweed in a garden
- so we have marjoram and cat mint around the house and they are covered in butterflies, bees, hoverflies and more. We also have an escallonia against a wall that is a real draw to Red Admiral and a berberis darwinni that is covered in bumble bees early in the year. The latter two, being shrubs, you will have to prune to keep the height down eventually. Gatekeeper on Bramble
Common Blue on Knapweed
Small Tortoiseshell on Marjoram
Red Admiral on Escallonia
Thanks Anything that can be pruned without harming would be great. Does Buddleia fall into that category ?
Anything that can be pruned without harming would be great. Does Buddleia fall into that category ?
I love Buddleja and they can be cut hard back and pruned during the summer but they can be a bit rampant and scruffy. We grow quite a few and they are certainly loved by butterflies and moths, as well as bees and other insects. The orange ball Buddlejas are also good, later to flower but ours are covered in large bumble bees at this time of year (I assume they are the new queens fattening themselves up for winter).
Something we have that's also covered in bees, honey and bumbles, at this time of year is snowberry, Symphoricarpos, quite a plain looking plant but flowers for a few months in late summer/early autumn so very useful.
Both would be regarded as invasive though.
Something we have that's also covered in bees, honey and bumbles, at this time of year is snowberry, Symphoricarpos, quite a plain looking plant but flowers for a few months in late summer/early autumn so very useful.
Both would be regarded as invasive though.
There's been a noticeable increase in Red Admirals across the country.
A couple of weeks ago I read something that said the increase is due to the abnormally high temperatures on mainland Europe as the Red Admirals become another climate migrant trying to escape the hot weather.
A couple of weeks ago I read something that said the increase is due to the abnormally high temperatures on mainland Europe as the Red Admirals become another climate migrant trying to escape the hot weather.
Funny you should say that; I spotted two on our ivy covered fence yesterday, and the news has this article today too.
UK butterfly numbers at highest level since 2019
But scientists warn that some species could decline in the long term due to habitat loss.
www.bbc.co.uk
Redadmiral is a migrating butterfly, we have them here after suitable southern winds but it does not winter here. It is apparently unknown if some move back.
