Advice on best plants to search out

[gazillion]

Hello! I'm new to Butterfly watching, but really want to try and see as many as I can this year. I know this is a very general question as I guess that different Butterflies visit different plants - but I'd like to hear experts opinions if there are plants that are good to hang around as several species enjoy them?

Also, I know that Butterfly watching is by its nature, and what it makes it so fun, is the unpredictability of when you'll see a certain Butterfly, but if anyone has some good general tips I would be very grateful.

Things such as time of day - does it pay to get somewhere early? Does it pay to sit and wait or if there's nothing happening to keep moving?

Many thanks,

Gazillion

[admiral halsey]

I'm a newbie too. Don't know if this is useful to you. I recently got an e.mail from the Big Butterfly count people. They recommended buying a "Meadow mixture" seed pack. When I checked out the link supplied (unless I read it wrong) it was going to cost a whopping £10+ to have 1 pack of seeds delivered. Serendipity played its part though, as a few days ago I was in my local LIDL shop and found that they were selling meadow mixture seed packs for 29 pence!

My Butterfly conservation ( https://butterfly-conservation.org/memb ... rship.html ) welcome pack
suggests: - Lavender, Origano, Buddlea, Ice plant, Michaelmas daisy, Aubretia, red valerian, French marigold, Hebe and Candytuft.

I'm sure if you give some more information about your location, some of the more knowledgable members will be able to tell you which species are local to you and their favoured plants.

This Is day one for me, so I'll be interested in further replies (I'm in south Essex, so species info will be useful)

Rich

[gazillion]

Hello Rich. Many thanks for the reply. I will do some research on those plants you mentioned so I know when I spot them in the wild (unfortunately I don't have a garden at the moment). I live in St Ives in Cambs but this year I am planning to travel as far afield as I can over a weekend to try and notch up more sightings (and photos).

So I would be very grateful for recommendations nice reserves or woods or parks that have a good reputation for different species. I will be having at least one trip to the south downs, perhaps over to south Kent as well. I also plan to explore more of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. And in late May have the chance to go to the lakes and southern Scotland, so hoping for a Scotch Argus, Northern Brown Argus and Mountain Ringlet if I'm lucky, but it could be too early in the year.

I am completely open to recommendations of anywhere and any tips that anyone may have to help me. I'm reading the infectious The Butterfly Isles but saving the chapters to relate to the time of year, and my sanity as I've only yet seen a Brimstone and Comma and I can't wait for more to be around!

If anyone reading lives in Cambs, my favourite reserves are Waresley and Gamlingay Woods. Any other sites that are good please suggest.

I would be very interested to hear what people say about the best time of day - is the morning the best, are Butterflys generally resting in the late afternoon - evening?

thanks people

[Trev Sawyer]

Hi Gazillion and Rich,
Welcome aboard - you have come to the right place to find out about UK butterflies and I have learned so much since joining. People new to butterfly spotting expect every species to just turn up in their gardens one day (some species do!), but if you use this site correctly, you will soon be able to work out where and when to go to find what you want to see. You have joined at the perfect time to see the new season start...
Your best plan is to click on the small pictures of the different families of butterflies which appear under the main UK butterfly heading on the homepage. Each will open up as a list (with photos of each family member). Clicking on the name of your chosen species will open up a more detailed page with lots of information. This will show when the species occurs as an adult (as well as the other stages) and towards the bottom of the page it shows some good places to go to see them. You can select a venue depending on your particular locality, make sure you visit it at the correct time - and bingo!
Rich, If you are in St Ives, Cambs, there are loads of places within a fairly short drive where you could find some of the less common species. Devils Dyke (Devil's Ditch) near the Newmarket July racecourse is East along the A14 from you... Visiting somewhere like that will give you the chance to see Green Hairstreaks, Brown Argus, Common and Chalkhill Blues, Dingy Skipper, as well as the more widespread butterflies like Brimstones, Small Tortioseshells and Peacocks for example. By clicking on one of the maps , you can also find nearby sites with lists of what can be found there. Just have a surf around the pages and you will soon see how much work Pete and his helpers have put into making it easy to find just about all the information you need. You will soon be a fully-fledged butterfly spotter

Trev

[admiral halsey]

I was within spitting distance of Devils dyke last weekend. Damn, a missed opportunity. However, I plan to return to Wicken Fen this weekend. Perhaps, I'll swing by the Dyke and check it out. We have membership of the National Trust, so we'll be on the lookout for any Butterfly conservation schemes at their properties this year. Some of the gardenss are particulalry Butterfly freindly.

Rich

[Trev Sawyer]

You may not see very much there this early in the season Rich, so you may be better advised to wait for a few weeks yet. On the left hand side of the homepage is a "What's Flying" section where you can see what species may be around. Another month or so and the season will kick off in earnest and things will start hatching out. Most species you see at present will be ones coming out of hibernation, but that will change soon. Enjoy.

Trev

[gazillion]

Many thanks Trev! Will give the Devil's Dyke a visit soon, sounds great.

[admiral halsey]

You may not see very much there this early in the season Rich, so you may be better advised to wait for a few weeks yet. On the left hand side of the homepage is a "What's Flying" section where you can see what species may be around. Another month or so and the season will kick off in earnest and things will start hatching out. Most species you see at present will be ones coming out of hibernation, but that will change soon. Enjoy.

Trev

Thanks for the tips. I may still swing by the Dyke, as it's quite a drive from South Essex. At least it will make finding it easier next time I'm in that area.

Rich