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I have a few species I am breeding, Comma, Speckled Wood, large/Small whites and a couple others. Just wondering what the best thing to feed the adults would be? What flowers do well indoors and can provide nectar throught the rest of the year for some ot these I have?

Some I am releasing back where they came from (whites, I have over 40 of them since they got my vegies and wanted to save them and vegies I broguth them inside to rear) but since Speckled woods are tircis subspecies (I think, they are as they are orangy coloured ones), can't release them and since the commas did not come from area either, same with those.

what would you guys and gals suggest?

Hi Dave,

I find that Oasis is briliant for keeping flowers (and also twigs etc) living for a long time. When I have adults to feed I usually water a block of it and then stick in some cut wild flowers (I have a small "wild" area with hawkbit, scabious, knapweed, buttercup, marjoram etc in). They seem to prefer wild to cultivated garden flowers as I suppose there must be more nectar - garden plants being typically bred more for colour?

This method has been succesful for me - it even keeps cut nettles alive for a week or more!!

Cheers
George

For breeding cages I find a pot with 3 French Marigold plants in it lasts most of the season and most butterflies like it.