Attracting butterflies to your garden
There are approximately 60 varieties that can be seen in the UK, the majority are born and raised here, while a few migrate to the UK in the summer to lay, including the painted lady from southern Europe / North Africa and the monarch travelling from North America.
The British butterfly population is in decline, and with the exception of the large and small white, they do little harm in the garden; in fact most of them are good pollinators.
The ideal conditions for butterflies are a warm, dry spring / early summer. The weather is out of our control, but growing plants rich in nectar to feed adult butterflies will encourage them to lay their eggs.
Plants to encourage butterflies:
One of the best foodplants is stinging nettle. Other plants include: alyssum, aubretia, bramble, buddleia, candytuft, catmint, choicia, clover, columbine, cornflower, echinops, fleabane, foxglove, honeysuckle, honesty, iceplant, knapweeds, lady's smock, larkspur, lavender (in particular 'Munstead' and 'Hidcote'), lilac, marigold, marjoram, Michaelmas daisies, nicotiana, petunia, privet, red hot poker, scabious, Scotch thistle, sweet william, teasel, thyme, hebe, wild primrose and yarrow.
Problems:
If you've got a problem with large or small whites eating your brassicas, encourage blue tits to your garden with a nesting box. They'll clear all the caterpillars from your cabbages. Else look at the underside of the leaves and rub off the eggs, or pick off the caterpillars.
Interesting facts about butterflies:
Butterflies can smell and taste through their feet.
Butterflies are a favourite food of wasps.
Top ten most frequently spotted butterflies:
Large white (most common)
Small white
Red admiral
Peacock
Small tortoiseshell
Painted lady
Holly blue
Meadow brown
Comma
Gatekeeper
