July plants for butterflies
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 8:03 pm
My buddleias are just starting to come into flower. I bought a new one in May from Longstock nursery in Hampshire. It’s rather appealingly called Purple Emperor & is a dwarf one. I will report on how it does for butterflies shortly. But will the butterflies appear before it finishes flowering?
The perennial phlox (paniculata) are just coming out. Phuopsis stylosa that flowered well through June is still hanging on as are the various centranthus (rubra,alba and lecoquii ) and wild valerian.
Perennial sweet peas are attracting a few Silver-y moths and I have planted fuchsias especially fro Elephant Hawk moth caterpillars. As far as wild flowers go knapweed is flowering & the first of the field scabious and marjoram & wild basil will be out soon – all firm favourites with the butterflies.
Yesterday (5th July) Hants & Dorset branch had a joint field meeting at Ryewater Nursery near Sherborne, home of Clive Farrall who you will all remember is the Founder of the project Butterfly World near St Albans. http://www.butterfly-world.org
Clive who is an expert in helping butterflies gave us a couple of good, new tips:-
If you sow niger seed (like you feed to the birds) in May it flowers like a mini sunflower & provided seeds for the birds but butterflies are really attracted to the yellow flowers. I shall try this even though it is now July!
He says a good way to attract Small Copper is to plant sorrel & fleabane in close proximity. Having their favourite nectar source nearby encourages it to breed on the sorrel. Shall try this too as Small Coppers are thin on the ground both at home and at the BC reserves in Hampshire.
The perennial phlox (paniculata) are just coming out. Phuopsis stylosa that flowered well through June is still hanging on as are the various centranthus (rubra,alba and lecoquii ) and wild valerian.
Perennial sweet peas are attracting a few Silver-y moths and I have planted fuchsias especially fro Elephant Hawk moth caterpillars. As far as wild flowers go knapweed is flowering & the first of the field scabious and marjoram & wild basil will be out soon – all firm favourites with the butterflies.
Yesterday (5th July) Hants & Dorset branch had a joint field meeting at Ryewater Nursery near Sherborne, home of Clive Farrall who you will all remember is the Founder of the project Butterfly World near St Albans. http://www.butterfly-world.org
Clive who is an expert in helping butterflies gave us a couple of good, new tips:-
If you sow niger seed (like you feed to the birds) in May it flowers like a mini sunflower & provided seeds for the birds but butterflies are really attracted to the yellow flowers. I shall try this even though it is now July!
He says a good way to attract Small Copper is to plant sorrel & fleabane in close proximity. Having their favourite nectar source nearby encourages it to breed on the sorrel. Shall try this too as Small Coppers are thin on the ground both at home and at the BC reserves in Hampshire.