Plants for woodland butterflies

[LindaL]

We own a static caravan in North Norfolk on a woodland site called Kelling Heath. Our pitch is in a comparatively new area that used to be a carrot field; it is now surrounded by young British native trees - beech, birch, elm, oak, wild cherry, rowan, holly, chestnut (not native, but well established here) some conifers and probably others that I do not recognise. Some of the trees are already over 20 feet tall, so our area of grass is going to become progressively more shaded. This year I have noticed far more butterflies than ever before, mostly seeming to be the butterfly equivalent of the birding world's 'little brown job'. They all seem to be rapid and/or erratic fliers, and not inclined to spend more than a couple of seconds resting for me to focus my eyes on them! I have managed to spot a couple of Gatekeepers warming themselves up in the morning, my husband managed to find a Wall Brown two days ago, and my daughter photographed a Common Blue the week before. We have a vast thicket of brambles to one side, and quite a few nettles - although I regret that we feel that we have to clear the nettles actually on our pitch, as we have 5 visiting grandchildren who are all under 7 years old. There is heathland about three-quarters of a mile away (hence the site's name) and large clumps of broom and heather much nearer. There don't yet seem to be many wild flowers establishing themselves, although our grass is full of daisies, buttercups, clover and some small blue things whose name escapes me for the moment. The site's owners are very keen on conservation, so there are rules about planting any trees ourselves - strictly British natives only; also no lights outside at night to preserve the night sky and not upset the large bat population.

I would now like to plant flowering plants to encourage butterflies - especially to settle for long enough for me to get a good look! Am I right in thinking that we are probably getting woodland species? What plants do you all suggest I should put in? The site owners are more relaxed about herbaceous planting, but would frown upon a neat border of pelargoniums and the like; anything we put in is supposed to blend in to a woodland environment, but they are keen on planting to attract insect life. We already have a large assorted bird population that we encourage, so predation of caterpillars will be high in the nesting season - can I do anything to help with that? And the bats will probably take out quite a lot of night-flying moths. The soil is well-drained, but not so dry that the grass gets burnt or the trees suffer - I think that it is slightly sandy, it never seems to get muddy underfoot, even in our last few soggy summers. We have muntjac deer visiting each day, usually they are just interested in browsing on the brambles, but I watched one yesterday grazing on the grass and taking a few buttercup flowers - I don't know if they would damage any plants that we might put in.

I hope that some of you more knowledgeable people will be able to help me. Since joining the UK Butterflies site I have become determined to rectify my appalling ignorance concerning British butterflies.

Linda

[Zonda]

Hi Linda, i have been doing the same thing for a number of years now(on the southern chalk). In sunny spots encourage Marjoram, Field Scabious, Greater and Lesser knapweed. Stick in a Buddleia or two. You don't have to give the whole garden over to nettles, they'll usually be as numerous as you let them. Anyone can eradicate all weeds, but it's the weeds that give life to our native insects. You probably wont be able to cater for all the British butterflies, so dont try. I put in a handful of Birds foot trefoil, it flowered, and i got a nice few Common blues this year. Your environment may not be suitable for them. I also grow wild vetches, and Ragwort (which i pull before it seeds). I'm not too clued up on woodland butterflies, but where there are trees there are Speckled woods. Heathers might do well where you are. Have fun with it. Zonda.

[Lee Hurrell]

Hi Linda,

I was amazed at how many butterflies were nectaring on Hemp Agrimony in a wood this year. In one clump I saw Silver Washed Fritillary, Comma, Peacock, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Gatekeeper. I'm not a gardener but I understand this is a woodland plant that generally grows well along woodland rides, where of you course you get the butterflies.

I also saw it on chalk downland at the weekend, close to the trees mind, so I would imagine it will grow on chalk too.

Zonda's right though, you can't go wrong with Buddleia.

Hope this helps a little.

Cheers

Lee

[LindaL]

Thank you Zonda and Lee, I shall try your suggestions, although I am not sure where to get British wildflowers from - is it best to trawl the internet for sites selling seeds? As for Buddleia, I forgot to mention that we also get a few bunnies nibbling the grass etc, will I need to protect the base of the Buddleia? When the trees were first put in the site rangers protected them from the rabbits.

Linda

[Lee Hurrell]

The Buddleia in my garden were taken as 3 small 4" cuttings from the plant outside my mum's house in Somerset, driven home to Middlesex wrapped in damp kitchen roll, left in a glass of water for a couple of days and then planted in pots until about 8" high when I planted them into the garden. This was last autumn and they're now 7 feet tall! It really is resilient and will grow anywhere although I remember reading years ago it prefers ashy soil. Seeing as it grows on top of walls I'm not sure how true that is!

Try it in pots until too tall for the bunnies and then transplant.

I would try your local garden centre for wildflower seeds, or yes, failing that the internet. I would assume it is frowned upon to take cuttings from the wild.

Best,
Lee

[Zonda]

I have made purchases from here in the past. they are very good.
http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/mixture.htm

[LindaL]

Thank you Zonda, I'll have a look at their site.

Linda

[Matsukaze]

Hi Linda,

It'll probably be well worth while contacting your local Butterfly Conservation branch conservation officer - http://norfolk-butterflies.org.uk/committee.html

The trouble with newly-planted woods on agricultural land is that the soil will usually have been fertilised, which results in the site being overrun by vigorous grasses, nettles and bramble whilst the trees are establishing. This supports a few butterfly species but no great diversity. Obviously, you won't be able to tamper with the establishing woodland, but if it's possible to remove the topsoil on any access paths or rides,or deep-plough it, and re-seed with a grass and wildflower mix, this might make the site more floristically diverse and so attract more butterfly species.

A few suggested wildflowers:

Bugle - a good general nectar source for spring butterflies.
Bird's foot trefoil - for Common Blue; also a good nectar source for blues and for bumblebees.
Sorrel - for breeding Small Coppers.
Fleabane - Small Coppers in summer love to nectar from this.
Hemp agrimony - for Peacocks, Brimstones, Silver-washed Fritillaries in late July/early August.
Garlic mustard and cuckoo-flower - for breeding Green-veined Whites and Orange-tips.
Knapweed - for nectaring browns and skippers in July.
Primrose - a nectar source for spring butterflies, especially Brimstones which blend in with the flowers.

Might be worth a visit to these folks http://www.wildflowers.co.uk/ who are also based in Norfolk.

[LindaL]

Hello Matsukaze

I'm sure you are right about the fertilisers; my husband tried sowing wild flower seeds about three or four years ago, only about half a dozen plants came up and they were almost immediately swamped by the grasses growing back, and nothing re-seeded itself. The following year I gathered thousands of seeds from foxgloves in our garden and he sowed them, some into prepared ground, and the rest scattered around the grass and trees. ONE plant came up! And this year another one appeared. I must say that the one plant was truly magnificent, with one main spike at least 7 feet tall and at least a dozen other spikes - it hummed with bumble bees from dawn to dusk. I am hoping that by now the fertilisers should have been used up or leached out of the soil, the grass is certainly growing much more slowly and hardly ever needs to be cut - the first year we were there we didn't visit for about 4 weeks and came back to find the grass over a foot tall, one of the park rangers took pity on us and came and cut it with his ride on mower that they use to keep the footpaths mown.

I'm hoping that if he strips the grass back and plants seeds in September they will get a start before the creeping grasses move back in, and he will mow the rest of the grass to cut down on the amount of nearby grass seed. We might have to try to foil all the birds though, as I am sure that they will consider that we are just playing hide and seeks with their food supply! We do buy bird food by the sack, and put out large quantities each time we visit, but the feeders are always empty by the next time we return.

Linda

[Zonda]

I have tried to establish some Yellow Rattle, which is a parasite on grasses, with a bit of success.

[Cotswold Cockney]

Bramble blossom has always been a favourite with White Admirals and Silver Washed in local wood as well as the woodland browns. Bugle is a favourite with the smaller fritillaries.... Broad Bordered Bee Hawks love Bugle too.

I've seen Marsh Frits feeding on Dandelion at the edge of woodlands ... A flower often ignored completely by butterflies.

Hemp Agrimony is also a powerful attractant at certain times.

Bramble can spread and become rampant swamping more lowly herbs and plants ~ but their fruits when ripe are nice to gather ...
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