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I have no Butterflys - help

heatherbrheatherbr Posts: 2
in Wildlife gardening

Hi - A few years ago I planted a Buddleia hedge - last year it was packed with Butterflies of all kinds feeding  - I was so happy. This year a full flowering hedge - not a single Butterfly in sight. I garden in South Ayrshire Scotland  - is this a dreadful sign or is it just a 'bad' year. Every time I look at the hedge I worry.

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    It's been a bad year and butterflies are suffering in many parts.  I normally see masses of commas, tortoiseshell and red admiral amongst many others but hardly any this year.  Quite a few large and small cabbage whites though!

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Lots down here, only started to see a few blues this week. 



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    Plenty down here too. It's been very dry so that's probably helped.

    Hope you see some soonimage

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • heatherbrheatherbr Posts: 2

    Thanks for the comforting words -

    I am going to start doing the Butterfly count http://www.bigbutterflycount.org/event every year - I always do the Bird one but I am now thinking the Butterfly one would be important as well - it seems I have a previously undiagnosed Butterfly need.

    I cant say my garden has ever been dry!  My next step will be to try and plant for Butterfly homes as well as food.

     

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147

    I've seen more butterflies here in Norfolk this year than in the past few years and the number of species is increasing recently too ... I think the warm dry spring we had may have something to do with it.


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Mark56Mark56 Posts: 1,653

    Agree, here in South East i've seen more than I can remember. The wild flower meadows are full. Good year for bees & honey too. imageDry & lots of sun (until this week) 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    I'm a bit further north from you Heather and I don't usually see any before mid to end of July. In a good year, there might be a few random ones before that, so don't worry too much.

    The conditions this year have been slightly different too regarding plant growth at the appropriate times. I saw more at the top of The Brack near Arrochar at the end of May, than I've seen in the garden! image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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