www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I have lived in my house since it was built back in early 1972. Had some unusual birds and Butterflies through over the years. The most local and unusual butterfly would be a Wood White which appeared amazingly in my front garden over twenty years ago. By an amazing coincidence, my son and I were discussing White Butterflies. My son had been talking to next door neighbour's son who believed all white butterflies where Cabbage Whites. He tried to explain there are rather more species but, I knew he did not know about the Wood White which he had never seen although he knew all the three more common species and Orange Tip. I mentioned the Wood White to him that he had yet to see just as one was slowly flying along the hedgerow near the front of the house with open plan garden. It made its way into the garden and my son quickly got a net and we caught it to confirm its true identity and not an undersized version of the more likely whites seen in the garden. Then it was soon on its way again not stopping, but making steady progress along the hedgerow to who knows where.

Back in the 1960-70s, my work involved much company car travel. On a few occasions during those travels I had observed Wood Whites making steady progress along roadside hedgerows well removed from known habitats or even woodlands. There's no doubt in my mind that this butterfly does venture away from suitable habitats seeking new ones to colonise. My favourite wood about ten miles from my home as the Crow or, Wood White flies I have visited many times since my first visit as a schoolboy in the 1950s. Until three years ago, I had never seen a Wood White there. I now know that it is found in that wood or should I say was found there recently but may not now do so owing to huge woodland management operations I observed on a recent visit a few weeks ago.

Back in the 1970-80s, I frequently visited more senior butterfly enthusiasts who had nice properties in the Hampshire, W.Sussex and Surrey borders area. There would be the occasional Purple Emperor including females through their large garden and one lucky devil even had the beautiful and elegant Pine Hawks breeding on the very large Scots Pines in his garden. I could never top that with my butterfly visitors but, one lives in hope.

So, what butterflies have you observed through your garden which surprised you?

By the way, nice to see a good turn out of Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells in and through the garden the past week or so.
.

Only been here 5 years but it always amazes every year the variety i get in the garden, nothing rare but an odd mix, woodland species such as SIlver washed and white admiral, the heathy Grayling, grassland small copper, Marbled white, Brown Argus and Dingy skipper.(only one of each of the last 2 though and no idea where they came from locally). the forestry commision have cleared quite a few trees nearby so hopefully in a few years i can look out for the Silver studded blues once the heath has reclaimed it, which i have seen 3 minute walk away. the only other one i'm likely to get is Purple hairstreak (1 possible garden sighting) but again they are on local oaks nearby.

it has been interesting to see the difference between this garden and my last due to local habitat, i used to have upto a dozen gatekeeper on a small patch of marjoram in my old garden in suburban Hayes middlesex, i have twice the marjoram here and only ever seen a maximum of 2 at once in the entire garden here.

i shall keep planting, keep looking and keep hoping
Chris

Camberwell Beauty on a compost heap

That's a very good species turn out Chris... whereabouts are you located? Close to or In the middle of woodland and heathland?

Only ever seen one Silver Washed Fritillary in my garden. That was during the excessively hot and sunny 1976 when no doubt these butterflies and others ventured down from their parched Beechwood hill top habitat three miles away desperately seeking some form of liquid nourishment. Sad to report it's over twenty years since I saw a Wall Brown in my garden. As a small child, they were frequent in my small garden when the family lived on the outskirts of east London ~ Walthamstow~Chingford area which was far more 'rural' then, unlike now. The closely related Speckled Wood has been a resident breeding species in my garden for over twenty years. This butterfly has become much more common and widespread than I remember it as a boy.
..

I am a regular reader of UKB rather than a contributor and often wish that many of the species I have never seen were to be found a bit nearer to East Norfolk! However when this topic came up I could not resist the challenge. I have twice had a Swallowtail in the garden, Dark Green Fritillaries are almost annual visitors (at least 2 this year) and Graylings are commonplace at this time of year. If we are including moths I have had Striped Hawk and Convolvulus Hawk so I can't complain.
TedP

Good thread, thanks for starting it.

My motto is "if you grow the right things, eventually they will come."

The most unusual butterfly I've had in my own garden is a Common Blue. I'm a mile away from the countryside, and 4 miles away from the nearest known colony of Common Blue. Yet in my first year of growing Birds Foot Trefoil I had a Common Blue in the garden. That's not to say there isn't a nearer colony than 4 miles away that nobody knows of, but I've asked quite a few experts and studied historical and current local breeding atlas' and nobody knows of a nearer one.

On a similar theme, my parents have owned their house for 30 years, and its only 20 metres away from open countryside. Despite this, in 30 years they had never seen Gatekeeper or Meadow Brown until 3 years ago when their next door neighbour fell ill and their garden became a jungle. Suddenly Gatekeeper is their commonest butterfly.

When I lived in Dover some years ago, both Walls and Chalkhill Blues were annual visitors to the steep and chalky north-facing back garden. Subsequently, while living in Woking, I had a Purple Hairstreak down amongst the herbs. At my latest abode, I'm afraid nothing more esoteric than a Small Copper has passed through.

Dave

Cotswold Cockney wrote:That's a very good species turn out Chris... whereabouts are you located? Close to or In the middle of woodland and heathland?

Only ever seen one Silver Washed Fritillary in my garden. That was during the excessively hot and sunny 1976 when no doubt these butterflies and others ventured down from their parched Beechwood hill top habitat three miles away desperately seeking some form of liquid nourishment. Sad to report it's over twenty years since I saw a Wall Brown in my garden. As a small child, they were frequent in my small garden when the family lived on the outskirts of east London ~ Walthamstow~Chingford area which was far more 'rural' then, unlike now. The closely related Speckled Wood has been a resident breeding species in my garden for over twenty years. This butterfly has become much more common and widespread than I remember it as a boy.
..

my garden backs on to Ringwood Forest, Verwood, Dorset. so mainly conifer unfortunately. i normally tell people that i have soily sand rather than sandy soil in the garden so heath not far away

Chris

I have a small garden on the outskirts of a small town in East Yorkshire, this year I have had dozens of Peacocks, a Comma and a couple of small tortoiseshells, the odd one for me is the Holly Blue it flew around the garden then left without landing

This year, Wall Browns have been occasionally turning up in my garden, but my all time finest moment hyad to be back in 1983 or 84 when my mother shouted up to me that a yellow butterfly was in the garden. This was in the industrial north west of England and Brimstones were entirely absent, so I immediately ran downstairs to catch the tail end of a Clouded Yellow disappearing over the fence (quite apt, considering the current situation with this species).

ChrisC wrote:Only been here 5 years but it always amazes every year the variety i get in the garden, nothing rare but an odd mix, woodland species such as SIlver washed and white admiral, the heathy Grayling, grassland small copper, Marbled white, Brown Argus and Dingy skipper.(only one of each of the last 2 though and no idea where they came from locally). the forestry commision have cleared quite a few trees nearby so hopefully in a few years i can look out for the Silver studded blues once the heath has reclaimed it, which i have seen 3 minute walk away. the only other one i'm likely to get is Purple hairstreak (1 possible garden sighting) but again they are on local oaks nearby.

it has been interesting to see the difference between this garden and my last due to local habitat, i used to have upto a dozen gatekeeper on a small patch of marjoram in my old garden in suburban Hayes middlesex, i have twice the marjoram here and only ever seen a maximum of 2 at once in the entire garden here.

i shall keep planting, keep looking and keep hoping
Chris

You missed out green hairstreak. Now if I had one of those in my garden I wouldn't forget it in a hurry!

Oh, and I think you'll find it is 7 years in October. Nagging over

I'm sure I've seen a few members report Green Hairstreaks from their gardens, Susie.

The ultimate prize would be Mountain Ringlet, and I'm certain it's not impossible either. There are quite a few crofts high up on the mountains of the Lake District and in Scotland which must surely get the occasional visit from this erebia.

If I remember rightly, don't you have Brown Hairstreak very close to chez Susie?

Brown hairstreak is the one that I think most of the regulars on here know I get in the garden. I get quite a few woodland and grassland species. I get the odd tatty silver washed fritillary but am still waiting for a purple emperor or a white admiral and I think I may be waiting for a very long time although they are about not far from home. I console myself with the odd purple hairstreak that turns up, I have found white letters not too far away in previous years so really must plant some elm

I get meadow brown and gatekeepers. The first time I ever saw a brown hairstreak (before I knew they existed) was in the garden and I thought that it was a weird meadow brown so took a photo of it. I've never had a speckled wood here which seems really strange, in my old Hayes garden they were common as anything.

Second brood common blues turn up regularly at this time of year, as do skippers and the odd small copper.

Susie wrote:Brown hairstreak is the one that I think most of the regulars on here know I get in the garden. I get quite a few woodland and grassland species. I get the odd tatty silver washed fritillary but am still waiting for a purple emperor or a white admiral and I think I may be waiting for a very long time although they are about not far from home. I console myself with the odd purple hairstreak that turns up, I have found white letters not too far away in previous years so really must plant some elm

Second brood common blues turn up regularly at this time of year, as do skippers and the odd small copper.

I'm pretty sure you are better off than 99% of garden owners.

Silver Washed Fritillary and Purple Hairstreak alone probably trumps 95%.

David M wrote:

Susie wrote:Brown hairstreak is the one that I think most of the regulars on here know I get in the garden. I get quite a few woodland and grassland species. I get the odd tatty silver washed fritillary but am still waiting for a purple emperor or a white admiral and I think I may be waiting for a very long time although they are about not far from home. I console myself with the odd purple hairstreak that turns up, I have found white letters not too far away in previous years so really must plant some elm

Second brood common blues turn up regularly at this time of year, as do skippers and the odd small copper.

I'm pretty sure you are better off than 99% of garden owners.

Silver Washed Fritillary and Purple Hairstreak alone probably trumps 95%.

I am sure you are right. I am very lucky.

However, I have encouraged some species to visit which improves my "luck" no end. I have planted blackthorn for the brown hairstreaks, birds foot trefoil for the common blues, docks for the small coppers, alder buckthorn for the brimstones and a wide variety of nectar plants. Fleabane is a favourite at this time of year and has taken over my pond edging.

There is probably a lot more that visits the garden than I see. The garden is quite noisy because of a busy road nearby and isn't a relaxing place to be so I don't tend to spend a great deal of time there.

The Small Coppers in my field are a bit of a puzzle to me. I have seen the females laying on very small, stunted and tatty plants of Sheep's Sorrel. This time of year and well into October, females chose the smaller stunted and tired plants and not the much better Sorrel specimens elsewhere and even closeby.

I once found a freshly emerged ( still expanding limp wings ) Small Copper female low down on my garage wall. On the same garage wall I've seen freshly emerged Speckled Woods expanding limp wings. I had never seen any dock species in my garden although that is not true this summer, as a small dock has appeared in my front garden. Small Copper larvae do not need a large plant to complete a successful life history.

Been a fabulous summer for Peacocks locally. All three common White species super abundant too. Commas have had a good showing both in spring and summer in my garden. Few Small Tortoiseshells too but nowhere near as many as the Commas and Peacocks. Best Peacock summer for decades. During the past month I have been working on my cars with the garage door open. Time and again I have shooed away a slowly flying Peacock looking for somewhere to settle down in my garage, even two today. I believe the winter temperature in my double garage would not be ideal for over wintering butterflies. Too warm.

Susie wrote: You missed out green hairstreak. Now if I had one of those in my garden I wouldn't forget it in a hurry!

Oh, and I think you'll find it is 7 years in October. Nagging over

I didn't miss it out Susie, that post was August last year

ChrisC wrote:

Susie wrote: You missed out green hairstreak. Now if I had one of those in my garden I wouldn't forget it in a hurry!

Oh, and I think you'll find it is 7 years in October. Nagging over

I didn't miss it out Susie, that post was August last year [/quote

Hehe! Oh my goodness, you are right as usual. I didn't realise it was an old thread

Im head gardener for the largest municiple rock garden in the UK....it's right on the A23 as you go into Brighton. This year has seen an amaizing explosion of butterflies in the garden, i'm gradually replanting the area and trying to get as many insect loving plants as possible.

I also have a few dwarf Elm trees...Ulmus elegentissima 'jaqueline Hillier' which are home to a pair of white hairstreaks. They hang around in the top canopy which is only about 20 feet tall but are very difficult to photograph. Been hundreds of large whites, meadow browns, commas, small tortoiseshells, holly blues, common blues, peacocks, painted ladies and speckled wood. There were also both brimstones and orange tips earlier on in the summer.

My house is in the centre of a large housing estate with a tiny front garden and normally attracts the usual common species.
However, a couple of years ago Helen asked what the small brown moth was on one of our Hebes. I ran for the camera as it was actually a White-letter Hairstreak nectaring on our Hebe. I've no idea where the nearest colony is but it was a nice surprise.