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Encouraging butterflies to your garden
can be slightly
complicated for the beginner as these insects are less
mobile than birds for example, and some species are unable to travel long distances. Some
however, especially the painted lady and red admiral, are very mobile indeed
and visit us in the summer in the same way that migratory birds do.
While we can feed our garden birds and almost guarantee that some will come
to our gardens, butterfly gardening is a little more about creating the
habitat that they need to live and importantly, to breed. If you can
do this, you will not only have the pleasure of seeing them in your garden,
but also you will be contributing to the survival of some species.
However you want to encourage butterflies, there is one certain way of
making sure that a few at least come to your garden. Planting a
Buddleia to attract the larger species such as small tortoiseshell, red
admiral, painted lady and peacock will ensure that these butterflies will
find you, and marjoram or lavender will cater for some of the smaller
species including gatekeeper and common blue if they are around in your
area.
Growing nectar plants for
butterflies is easy - most of them are pretty garden border plants that look
good in the garden anywhere, although butterflies will prefer them if they
are in a sunny south facing and warm spot. Shelter is good too, as
butterflies are not fond of windy conditions. Many plants will attract
butterflies but it is good to have a selection that flower at different
times. Early butterflies appreciate the nectar from dandelions but
aubrietia and honesty are also good plants for the spring months. The
wild flower, lady's smock, is a great plant for orange tip butterflies both as
a nectar plant and as a larval food plant - the plant upon which they lay
their eggs. In mid summer there are many plants that will bring a range of butterflies to your garden
and some of the links below will give you ideas. Try to include a good
range of different species - for example catmint and purple loosestrife are good for
the white butterflies and candytuft, marigolds, knapweed, thistles, globe
thistle, cornflower and heather will attract a range of other species. Later
in the year, nectar plants that carry on flowering in to September and
October are especially useful for butterflies that hibernate as adult
insects through the winter. Echincea, late flowering Chrysanthemums,
heliotrope, sunflowers, Verbena, some small-flowered dahlias, Cosmos and ivy are all good food sources for
late in the year, attracting red admirals, small tortoiseshells and painted
ladies. It is worth remembering though that different plants can be good in
different gardens - your garden 'micro-climate' and its situation play a
part.
Encouraging butterflies to
breed takes a little more thought than simply providing them with food.
In order to breed they need very specific plants on which to lay their eggs.
Some butterflies (for instance the brimstone) will generally use two plants only.
Others use a range of plant species. The female butterfly will seek
out her larval food plant, lay her eggs carefully and then leave them to
develop. The caterpillars will eat the leaves of the plant, pupate and
then hatch as adult insects either later that same year, or in some species
not until the following spring. Good caterpillar food plants are
nettles (for red admiral, small tortoiseshell, peacock), lady's smock and
honesty (for orange tip), sheep sorrel (for small copper), native grasses
(for meadow brown, ringlet, speckled wood, gatekeeper), bird's foot trefoil
(for common blue), alder buckthorn and purging buckthorn (for brimstone) and holly and ivy (for holly
blue).
Creating shelter in
the winter is very important if you want to encourage butterflies.
Even though we don't see them between November and March they are still
around somewhere! Some butterflies including brimstone, peacock and
small tortoiseshell over-winter as adult insects. They find dry,
sheltered places in log piles, sheds, garages or in the case of brimstones
amongst dry leaves in a sheltered spot, and they sit out the cold weather in
hibernation. Other species survive the winter as tiny caterpillars,
as eggs or as pupae, so all four stages of the butterfly life cycle could
be around in your garden somewhere through the winter. A very tidy
garden is less likely to have good hibernation places for these
insects. If you have a wildflower meadow don't cut it too short as
the caterpillars of the common blue spend the winter deep down in the
grass. Borders should be left through the winter and 'tidied' in
spring when wildlife is on the move again. Always be aware that your
garden is a home for many creatures at all times of year.
You can buy
Butterfly Gardening by Jenny Steel
here
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