Preferred nectar plants

[Susie]

Wow, thanks for that information, Felix. My little butterfly book says they can't survive the European winter but I can't see why not cos it can be as cold in Africa at night during the winter as it is here at times. I have all sorts of thistles as well as a small amount of nettles so I shall wish for something amazing to happen.

[Piers]

Well you never know!

Generally breeding in the UK relies upon an immigration in the spring, which then breed in Britain to produce a summer brood.

If we have a decent Painted Lady year in 2008, and you manage to attract some adults to nectar in your garden you could well be lucky...

Felix.

[Susie]

I shall change my middle name to serendipity by deed poll and cross my fingers.

[Lynn]

Hi Rosy, That's really interesting about Globe Artichokes Have you got Echinops ritro Globe Thistle in your garden too? I know that PL's bred on that. When we had the huge influx in May 1996 some one I know found larva on globe thistles in a garden centre in Hampshire. He wanted to make sure they survived and had to buy the plants! Another friend spotted a holly in a garden centre with Holly Blue eggs on & bought that for the same reason

Globe thistle will also be used for nectaring but seems to attract more bees than butterflies.

[Denise]

How interesting. I have grown a few Globe thistles ( that is the one with the blue ball head?) for my garden this year. I'm just about to plant them out. I hmm hmm acquired the seeds from a house not very far from me. Watch this space.

Denise