Butterflies- you've gotta them!

[Nature__Lover]

They are just beautiful aren't they?
and so are moths! I was surprised to see an elephant hawk moth in my garden a few nights back, he frightened me half to death at first, they are big!!

Anyway ... anyone have any tips on attracting butterflies? or want to list the species they have in their garden? also I was just wondering if anyone on here had ever tried making or buying butterfly feeders... do they work?

Heres my backgarden list so far.. :

butterflies -
tortoiseshells
cabbage whites
red admirals
speckled woods

moths -
silver ground carpets
elephant hawk
plumes

[Nature__Lover]

and heres a few of my pics!

gatekeeper
http://spidertribe.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/edit1.jpg

cinnabar moth
http://spidertribe.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/blog-7.jpg

[Nature__Lover]

- oh and the brimstone butterfly

[Nature__Lover]

somehow i managed to miss the word 'love' off of this thread.
haha! my apologies.

[Jandy]

I haven't tried butterfly feeders myself, but the RSPB is advertising one in its Autumn catalogue, £9.99, and £3.99 for the nectar to put in it. Our main butterfly attractants are buddleia (aka butterfly bush) and lavender, both in bloom at present, but there are many other plants they like, and also not forgetting caterpillar food plants.

[Nature__Lover]

I should try planting some buddleia and lavender, I guess :) thank you

[70007]

The herb Marjoram is loved by Gatekeepers in my garden. I counted 10 on the plant at one time a couple of days ago when it was really hot and sunny, but even on a cooler, windy day like today there were seven.

Scabious is another plant that they like, and also Verbena.

It is worth giving some of these a try, as they are quite easy to grow from seed or to buy in pots from garden centres.


I have seen only one Painted Lady so far this year, but I thought I saw a Silver Washed Fritillary last week, although I only saw it for a few seconds. Mind you, it is unlikely to be confused with much else due to its size.

A big orange butterfly, far bigger than a Comma.

John

[jeff]

I don't know one butterfly from another but we have notice this year an increase in the amount that comes into the garden.

[Nature__Lover]

that's good news jeff!
if you ever need some help identifying one, you can always try asking me or anyone else on here who knows anything on butterflies.

Moths are another story, though! alot of them are dark colours, so they are very hard to master!

[jeff]

We have had quite a few in our garden today and mainly the white type of butterfly but as we were sat on the patio a small brown one came and landed on the wife's leg, looking at your pictures is looked like the gatekeeper, it quite happily sat on her leg for around five minutes.

The white ones seem to like the new grape vines we have just planted but we don't know why?

[70007]

Yes, Gatekeepers are quite common at this time of year.

All butterflies prefer dry and warm weather so this year is much better for them than the cool wet weather we had in 2007 and 2008.

I dont want to worry you, but if large whites are taking more than a passing interest in any garden plants without flowers, they are probably laying eggs on them, so look out for holes in the leaves and lots of caterpillars in a week or two.

However, I didnt think grapevines would be a suitable food plant - cabbages, cauliflowers and nasturtiums being the usual ones.

John

[jeff]

Thanks for the tip about them laying egs, I will keep my eye open.

I've just spent a small fortune on fruit trees and I've planted them in my garden, The butterfly (white) took more interest in the strawberry plants and unless they lay their eggs pretty quickly? I don't think they have bothered the vines.

[70007]

Good luck with your fruit trees Jeff.

I have some dwarf ones that I bought about 5 years ago. I have more apples on the two trees this year than I have ever had (about 20 ) but the pear still has not yet flowered after 5 years, so no pears.

The plum flowered early last year then promptly died so I have had to replace it with another one and the cherry is a more recent addition so has not yet done a great deal.....

but I live in hope.

John

[jeff]

Looks like I'm going to have problems with the tree's then John because I bought the same ones :rolleyes: it does say you will get more fruit if you have them in pairs.

I'm off away to my daughters for a few days tomorrow, so when I get back, I think I'll go and buy a few more to make them in pairs to increase their chances of fruiting.

[70007]

I know that some traditional fruit trees need other varieties as pollinators, but many of the ones that I have are said to be self pollinating, and there is a decent orchard near me, so I am hoping the bees can get between there and my garden to do the necessary business.

[jeff]

They sound the same type of tree's that I Just bought because it said on the labels that they were self pollinators and with a couple of bees nests in the garden, if I buy a few more then hopefully next year they can get busy and get me some fruit going lol.

I've also Just put some raspberry and blackberry bushes in and also a kiwi, so even if we don't pick any at least the birds will have a field day.

[Nature__Lover]

I have quite a big blackberry bush in my garden, and the berries have now all turned ripe.
Anyone know why the birds and butterflies ignore them completely?

[Jandy]

I have a feeling that pigeons might just be keen on ripe blackberries. I have noticed that round about this time of year they seem to produce blackberry-coloured poo!

[Nature__Lover]

jeff,
I think quite a few caterpillar species feed on grape vines. Butterflies do seem to like them, not sure why though. Maybe they drink the juice from the grapes? as they will sometimes drink from fallen oranges and apples.

found this on a website:
You can attract a number of butterflies with fruit (such as rotten apples and peaches, cantaloupe seeds and rinds, and watermelon rinds). I place them on a hanging butterfly feeder, a tree branch, and a tree stump. The more fruit the better. I've found that butterflies are especially attracted to apples that are not from a grocery store. Of course, this fruit also attracts wasps, ants, and other insects so be careful.

[Jandy]

I have just returned from 2 weeks in Cornwall, and although not having must time to get out and about, I was very pleased to see how many butterflies they have down there. The buddleia bush outside the window was visited every day by loads of Red Admirals and Tortoiseshells, not many varieties I know, but more, and more in number, than we have had in our garden this summer, which has not been a patch on last year's.