Hi everyone, Good news - when the weather was nice last week we noticed a lot of Peacock butterflies in the garden so we opened the box and he was alive and well - we let him warm up in the sunshine, a few flexes of his wings and he was gone - what a joy to see him flying around the garden !! :) Man...

Hi,

Many thanks for the advice. He's currently in a cardboard box in a cold garage. The box is closed at present so I suppose it will have to be opened up in February ?

Cheers
Paul

Hi, Thanks for the advise. I've had the butterfly in the garage overnight inside a cardboard box to keep him in the dark and secure - it was cold in there !! - however this morning I checked him and although his wings were closed they opened and closed occasionally - do I need to find somewhere cold...

Hi Guy, Thanks for the advice. The one I caught today was next to a barn but I was nervous about its condition and wanted to make sure it recovered. I have a cold double garage at home where it wouldn't be disturbed. Do you think it would be suitable to release it in there to finish winter off ? Che...

Hi, For two days running I have seen Peacock butterflies out on the snow in Leicestershire sunning themselves. I'm amazed by this. Is it normal ? - Today I caught one and brought it inside to warm up. However I'm wondering what I should do with it ? - leave it inside ? - feed it ?? - release it when...

Hi, Due to wasp predation we decided to rescue some large and small white eggs from our garden. We have put the plants leaves with the eggs on in a large glass fish tank - they are hatching successfully and some of the caterpillars are getting quite large . We give them fresh cabbage and nasturtium ...

Hi,

Another butterfly in my garden over the last couple of days that I've not seen before - Speckled Wood

I don't know if its my effort with the flowers or if its just a good year - in any case its great to see them. I'm also still getting lots of varieties of Bee's as well.

Cheers
Paul

Hi,

I've seen a few Brown Argus today on the Birdsfoot Trefoil - I don't recall seeing this in my garden before - thanks Denise !!
LOTS of Red Admiral, Peacock, Whites and Painted Lady today !! - some really big ones.

Cheers
Paul

Hi, Just to keep you all updated. I must have planted just about everything recommended to me and more !! - Well this morning I was in my garden looking at one of the Budleia's and it was covered in butterflies, various Whites, Painted Lady, and Peacock. - there were a lot of each type. I've also se...

Hi, Many thanks to everyone who gave me advice on attracting butterflies to the garden. It looks like a much better year for butterflies than last year. I've seen more so far than I saw all of last year. Lots of different types as well. Their favourite flower still seems to be the dandelion tho' !! ...

Although not a particularly good butterfly plant as far as I am aware something that is good for other insects in a shady spot is lungwort (pulmonaria). It is one of my favourite spring flowers. Garlic Mustard and Sweet Rocket can grow in shade too, although the butterflies prefer the flowers that ...

Hi, Someone else suggested Birs Foot Trefoil as well - so I'm going to try that next year. I'll probably tryyour other suggestions as well. I'm going to try as many plants as possible then observe whats popular - assuming there are any Butterflies around next year - they''ve been very rare this year...

Martin wrote:A plant I find b/flies love that I havn't seen mentioned yet is Red Valerian.

Thanks Martin.

Cheers
Paul

Hi Dave, Thanks for the ideas - I have a clay like soil in my garden - so it sounds like your suggestions will be useful for me. Cheers Paul I think that it is important to find out what type of garden you have as many plants will only grow well in certain conditions and also what butterflies ,insec...

I'm going to try a few more plants - I've noticed locally the butterflies seem to love Lavender - so I've bought some more. There is a lavender farm a few miles from us that always seems to have good numbers of nymphalids and whites in late summer. They have had Clouded Yellow, Hummingbird Hawk-mot...

If you can't find Fleabane anywhere else then try Naturescape, Paul. http://www.naturescape.co.uk/acatalog/potplants1.html I'm going to try locally - but otherwise I'll buy some seed from Naturescape for next year. I was amazed to see Dandelion for sale at Naturescape !!!???? :shock: - still after ...

Hi, I'll try and get some - but where from ? - I've done a search but the latin names are different to the one that you quoted. Thanks. Cheers Paul I can really recommend common fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica) although it officially likes damp ground it grows happily at the side of my field in a ve...

Hi, Yes - I did - altho' I've seen nothing on them - the most popular plant in the garden that I set is Budleia. Just saw a Tortoiseshell a couple of days ago - but other than that its mainly various types of White butterfly - more than most years oddly. I'm going to try a few more plants - I've not...

Hi, Thanks for your re-assuring words above - I'll keep my fingers crossed that the missing butterflies will return some day. I've managed to attract some House Sparrows back by feeding them - I also put up a 5 compartment sparrow nest box under the eaves of my house at great risk to life and limb -...

Progress report from NW Leicestershire. Well to my absolute consternation there are NO Red Admirals, Tortoiseshell, or Peacock butterflies at all in my garden this year - normally I see quite a few - is it too early for them - or am I panicking too soon ?? The only butterflies I've seen at all are W...