Creating a butterfly buzz
A butterfly is a beautiful addition to your garden.
Butterflies have been having difficulties in recent years due to weather conditions. In the UK there has been a severe decline in numbers seen over the past few years.
According to a recent article in The Guardian, the warm summer weather in the UK has helped butterfly numbers to recover but they still need our help to ensure their survival. Gardens make up a large proportion of the nectar sources for butterflies and bees.
What plants do butterflies like?
Please help butterflies by planting nectar rich flowers which are the right size and shape for butterflies. Short flowers and fairly flat blossoms are best so they can land easily and feed. Try to put 3 of the same plants together so they are a larger clump and easier for the butterfly to find.
Great examples include:
- All types of buddleias (also known as the butterfly bush)
- All types of verbenas
- Achillea (yarrow)
- Asters
- Aubretia
- Coreopsis
- Echinacea
- Erysimum (wallflower)
- Hesperis
- Nepeta (catmint)
- Scabious
- Sedums
Verbena bonariensis (see the photo above) is an pretty feathery plant which is very attractive to butterflies. It flowers for a long period and the small flowers are ideally shaped so they can get their proboscis (their feeding tubes which act like a straw) in to reach the nectar. Take a look at the photo on this link to see an amazing close up view.
Another butterfly favourite is the buddleia which is also known as the butterfly bush.
Ideally have lots of different plants that flower over an extended period from spring into autumn (or fall for any of our US based readers).
What flowers when?
- Spring – Aubretia and Hesperis (sweet rocket)
- Summer – Buddleia, Echinacea, Lavender and Verbena
- Autumn – Sedums
If you want help try using the RHS plant finder application on their website. Choose Wildlife Garden under Garden Type.
Big Butterfly Count
The Big Butterfly Count is taking place until 20 August and the website has a butterfly id chart and there’s also a smartphone app for when you are out and about.
What are you doing to help the butterflies in your garden? Have you seen any recently? I’ve seen a couple of large whites recently but there definitely don’t seem to be as many as a few years ago.