Spring-Campaign-Booklet A4 V12.Pdf

Find out how to benefit from nature this spring, what butterflies and moths to look out for and how to garden in your plot or pot for pollinators www.butterfly-conservation.org/NutureforNature Emperor Contents moth

Prescription for 3 being outdoors – the science behind wellbeing in nature by Dr Amir Khan © BOB EADE

How to find Orange-tip butterfly 4 mindfulness outdoors

Species to spot 6 this Spring Grow your herb 8 garden Common Blue Go wild for butterfly © MATT BERRY 9 wildflowers Gardening 12 tips Family-friendly 13 fun Why butterflies 15 & moths matter Dobbies supports 17 Nurture for Nature

Many of us feel better when we have spent even a short time in green spaces amongst nature. This could be your garden, a park, woodland or even a beach.

Did you know that positive feeling you get from spending time with nature is rooted in science?

When we spend time with nature our brain releases special neurotransmitters, chemical messengers like dopamine and serotonin that make us feel happier and have a calming effect on our bodies.

We also produce less of the stress hormone, cortisol, so our blood pressure may drop and heart rate decrease making us feel more relaxed.

When we are outdoors we are also likely to be more active which is great for your heart health. Nature has so many wonderful benefits for us, we need to protect it to make sure it can continue to do so for future generations to come.

Dr Amir Khan

© MATT BERRY 3 How to use the outdoors for mindfulness It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice much, but there are an increasing number of scientific studies that suggest that slowing down and being more aware of your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you – can improve your mental wellbeing. Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”.

Megan Lowe, Senior Engagement Development Officer at Butterfly Conservation works to support mental health recovery groups finding therapy though nature. She suggests a few ideas for finding mindfulness outdoors.

Take a moment to... • Smell the grass or flowers - rub flowers gently between your fingers to release their odour. How do they smell different? What do they feel like? • Close your eyes and listen to nature – can you hear the wind? The dawn chorus? The sound different insects make as they fly past? • Take off your shoes and socks and go for a barefoot walk in your garden or around the park. • Feel the sun or rain on your skin. • Plant a seed and watch it grow. • Taste your own homegrown herbs or vegetables.

4 Orange-tip Don’t be too busy butterfly Did you know? to take notice Many butterflies have taste receptors in Taking notice of just three their feet which help them to find out things in nature each day whether the leaf they land on is a good has been shown to be good place to lay their eggs and to be their for wellbeing - even better if caterpillars’ scrumptious food. you choose to share it with a friend, family On the flipside, a butterfly’s antennae are member or colleague. primarily used for smell. But they can also do amazing things like detect gravity and Or please share it with us! wind direction, and can even be used to Our iRecord Butterflies app was used in a tell the time of day! wellbeing study last summer and it, along with generally spending 15 minutes observing nature outdoors, was found to be good for wellbeing.

Learning something new Challenge yourself to research a species you know nothing about and go to our species pages on the Butterfly Conservation website or take a look at our pointers in this booklet for wildlife gardening. Learning about butterfly and moth foodplants can be very rewarding too, as they vary from caterpillars to adult. This will also help you identify our beautiful native countryside plants (found in cities and towns too).

Take time out It’s important to take time for yourself and to switch off from the digital world. If you’re successful in making your own herb garden (see page 8) then why not brew yourself a fresh mint tea and take a 10-minute break outdoors? Think about how your green fingers planted the seed which led to this nourishing tea.

© KEITH WARMINGTON 5 Did you know? What’s waking up When threatened a Peacock butterfly make a hissing sound, in your garden or which it creates by rubbing the veins on its forewings and local green space hindwings together. this spring?

Wherever you live in the UK, spring is very much on its way. Over the next few weeks try spending a bit of time in your local park, green space or garden, seeing if you can spot any of these marvellous creatures.

Peacock butterfly 1 Technically it’s possible to see these garden favourites all year round as they hibernate during the winter as adults (look out for them in buildings such a sheds and even under city Peacock railway bridges!). They’re often the first on our butterfly spotted list as spring arrives. © JIM ASHER

Ruby Tiger moth caterpillar abdomen and hindwings, apart from north Scotland where Angle 2 The caterpillar of this chunky tiger moth the moth is darker. Shades is brown and furry and likes to feed on plants such as dandelion, dock and Angle Shades moth caterpillar heathers. The moth is a regular 3 These moths overwinter as larvae so there’s lots of UK garden visitor and first- caterpillars around in the spring feeding on plants such as generation tigers can be nettles, brambles and hazel. The adults have distinctive wings seen during the day as well that mimic a withered leaf with pinkish-brown markings. as at night. When freshly The best way to find a caterpillar is using a torch at night emerged (from April) they time. Interesting fact: The Angle Shades moth pupates in a boast a striking pinkish-red cocoon just under the soil, snug as a bug in a rug (cocoon).

© LES HILL 6 Did you know? Brimstone butterfly Only the male Orange-tip butterfly 4 A sure sign that spring has truly has the classic orange-tip to the sprung since time immemorial, wings, the females are white with the bright green-yellow flash of black wingtips and can easily a Brimstone butterfly lifts the be mistaken for the Small spirts. Look out for these cheerful White butterfly. butterflies from April and, though not as common in the North and Scotland, their population has been recently spreading, so please tell us if and when you see one.

Emperor Moth 5 One of the UK’s most spectacular moths with its 8cm wingspan will now be out and about, most common near heathland, moorland and woodland. Spot them by the big eyespots across all four wings. You’re more likely to see males during the day time.

Orange-tip butterfly The first of these was recorded in 2020 as early as Orange-tip 6 22 March in Nottinghamshire, so keep a look out. These butterfly © IAIN H LEACH hedgerow favourites have a special love for a plant called the Cuckooflower and are found in large numbers across the Large Red- Emperor whole of the UK including rising numbers in Scotland. Belted moth Clearwing Large Red-belted Clearwing 7 This may look like a scary type of wasp, but it’s actually a very clever moth! Look out for these amazing insects from May as they emerge from their cocoons within birch trees in heathland and woodland.

Find out more about how to record your sightings, especially those exciting spring 2021 firsts by going to Butterfly-conservation.org/recordingandmonitoring or let your local county butterfly or moth recorder know.

© CRD ALLAN DREWITT © BOB EADE 7 Herb gardening for butterflies From a window box to a wild meadow, whatever space you have, you can please both people and wildlife with a herb garden. Not only is a herb garden very easy to grow, but it includes both nectar plants, which provide food for butterflies, and host plants, which provide food for caterpillars. It will also attract other pollinators likes bees. The easiest way is to buy herbs as small plants or start from seed. See some of our top plant picks below:

Attract springtime butterflies like the Small White & Orange-tip Rosemary Chives Position in full sun Position in full sun or in planters or well- part shade in planters, drained soil. pots, or open soil.

Attract garden butterflies like the Small The Secret Gardener says: Tortoiseshell & Peacock Having plants like Rosemary which flower in early spring will help butterflies like Marjoram / Thyme Position in Peacock that have spent the winter as adults, while late-flowering plants like mint and Marjoram Oregano Position full sun in planters, in full sun in pots or open soil, are great for butterflies which are more common in late summer like Red Admiral and Painted planters or pots, sheltered sheltered from wind and Lady. Mint can also be used by caterpillars of the beautiful Mint Moth. Plus, why not plant some from wind and rain. Needs rain. Needs well-drained soil well-drained soil or compost. or compost. edible plants too? You could try growing Calendula or Borage from seeds. You can sign up to our newsletter All Aflutter to receive monthly tips from the Secret Gardener – Attract late summer butterflies like Red www.butterfly-conservation.org/newsletter Admiral & Painted Lady and the Mint Moth Mint Position in full sun or part shade in large planters or damp soil. Growing in pots sunk into soil will Don’t forget: Use the leaves of any of these plants sparingly through the growing season to leave stop spreading. Keep watered. the plant strong enough to make flowers for the butterflies.

8 Spring gardening tips Go wild for wildflowers

Why have wildflowers in your garden? Butterflies are declining more rapidly in urban areas than in the countryside. And we don’t need gardens to support our local pollinators. All of us can contribute to improving the area around our homes for wildlife - whether rural or urban - and one way is by sowing wildflower seeds.

Meadows in the countryside have a great variety of wildlife associated with them. The flowers and grasses provide nectar for butterflies and Small Copper © TIM MELLING moths along with food and shelter for their caterpillars. Even a tiny meadow area in a rural garden or a tub of colourful wildflowers in the Clouded city could provide a wonderful refuge for pollinators. Yellow What to sow Annual wildflowers, such as the intensely blue Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) and bright yellow Corn Marigold (Glebionis segetum) will provide nectar or pollen for insects. Cornflower bloom from June to August and are attractive to the Common Blue and Gatekeeper. Common Blue Note that Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) has pollen for the bees but doesn’t © MARTIN WARREN produce nectar. Annuals will bloom in their first season, giving a show of colour from early summer onwards before dying and setting seed in late Formerly more widespread in parts of southern summer or autumn. The biennial Dark Mullein (Verbascum nigrum) has England, the species has suffered a period of rapid tall stems of yellow flowers with purple-haired stamens from June to Sep. decline and is now only found in West Sussex, It is a foodplant for the large and easily spotted Mullein moth caterpillars Hampshire, Berks, Bucks and Oxfordshire. If you from late May to July. After that, from July to mid-Sep, the flowers are live in these areas, please help this moth by also food for the similar looking but scarce Striped Lychnis caterpillars. sowing some Dark Mullein seed.

9 There are many colourful, native, perennial wildflowers to choose from:

Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) has Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum Meadow Cranesbill (Geranium (Lotus corniculatus), with tiny white or pink flowers arranged vulgare) is the largest-flowered pratense), with violet-blue yellow flowers, is a foodplant for in flat umbel-like heads, which are native daisy with white petals flowers from June to Sep, is the the Common Blue and a number great landing pads for insects, and it and a yellow centre and it will parent to many garden varieties of moths including the Six-spot is also the foodplant for a number of enthusiastically self-seed. of hardy geranium. Burnet. species of moth.

Bladder Campion (Silene Field Scabious (Knautia Common Knapweed Red Clover (Trifolium Greater Knapweed vulgaris), with white arvensis) has blue- (Centaurea nigra) has pratense) can be a (Centaurea flowers from May to Aug, violet flowers from June purple, thistle-like flowers foodplant for the Silver Y scabiosa) is particularly emits a clove-like scent to Oct and attracts large from June to Sep and is moth. attractive to the Marbled at night to attract long- numbers of pollinators. also a foodplant for the White. tongued moths. Lime-speck Pug.

10 How to grow You could select a native wildflower seed mix or just a few individual species (seeds are readily available to buy online). The perennial wildflowers listed can be sown from late March to April in either the ground or a container. Watch out for other seeds that should be sown in the autumn as they need a period of cold weather to encourage germination.

• To sow in the ground, choose a sunny site and prepare the soil so it is weed-free and raked to form a fine bed in which the seeds can germinate. • Delay sowing if the ground is too waterlogged. • Scatter the seed thinly (if necessary you can mix the seed with dry sand to help with even dispersal) then rake or push onto the soil without covering too much as some wildflowers germinate better when exposed to light. • Finally, water very gently to avoid washing the Common Large seeds away. If sowing in a tub or window box, use Blue Skipper garden soil mixed with a little peat-free compost as wildflowers generally don’t like soil that is too rich in nutrients. Many plants will flower six to eight weeks after sowing, so you should have a lovely display in the summer attracting butterflies such as the Small Tortoiseshell, Gatekeeper and Common Blue.

After flowering you can leave the plants to self-seed. Happy Gardening!

© TIM MELLING © MARTIN WARREN 11 Top tips to keep your garden growing If you’re looking to grow more than herbs in your garden this year, check out our top tips on caring for your plants and the planet. • Water your plants regularly - ideally from a water butt as this is more environmentally friendly. Frequent watering prevents plants from drying out during a spell of hot weather, especially when in containers, and helps flowers to produce more nectar. • Remember to water the soil not the plant, as larger leaves can act as an umbrella which prevents water getting to the roots. Remove the rose from your watering can to get nearer the plant base. • Put a layer of mulch on the surface of the soil around the plants to help prevent water evaporation and suppress weed growth. • Always choose peat-free compost and cut down on your use of plastic. Use recyclable and recycled containers or be creative and turn tins and tubs into plant pots. Remember to drill drainage holes in the bottom to prevent waterlogging. • Choose plants that are grown in the UK to reduce the carbon footprint of your garden and eliminate the risk of disease. Reputable garden centres will ensure imported plants have all the relevant health checks. • Dead-heading after flowering keeps plants looking attractive and encourages more blooms. • Avoid using harmful pesticides by removing slugs and snails by hand instead. Night is the best time to catch these marauding molluscs in action. Once caught, release them at a safe distance from your plot.

12 Inspiring the younger generations Build a seed bomb What you’ll need It’s been a tough start to 2021 for families and making the most of our • Flour local green spaces and gardens has • Soil been a lifeline for keeping our children • Mixing bowl healthy and entertained. • Water • Native British Getting out in the fresh air is such an wildflower important time of the day for young seeds people stuck inside e-learning and learning about our natural world is the Instructions first step to conserving it in the 1. Using your hands, mix the future. Here are a couple seeds with three cups of clay powder of ideas for things to do. and four cups of compost in your bowl. 2. Slowly add water and knead until everything sticks together. Make a Butterfly Kite 3. Roll the mix into firms balls about the Instructions size of a 50-pence coin. What you’ll need 1. Print the Butterfly template on • Colouring pens/pencils • 1m length of string to card. 4. Leave the bombs to dry in a sunny spot. • Hole punch • White card 2. Colour your butterfly in. 5. Now for the fun bit! Plant your seed 3. Once coloured in, fold your card bombs by throwing them at bare Click here to download the kite template! in half along the centre line parts of the garden and wait to see making sure that you can still what pops up! see the butterfly’s wings. 4. Lay flat again but this time fold each wing towards you along the diagonal lines so that your Try planting birds- butterfly kite looks a bit like the foot-trefoil or picture above. knapweed to help 5. Use a holepunch to make a hole through the black dots. feed me through 6. Tie a piece of string through summer this hole and your

kite is ready to fly!

© ROBBIE LABANOWSKI 13 Nurturing nature is for everyone Niall from Stepping Stones School is gardening for nature. The school is a specialist setting for children with special educational needs and disabilities and nature is an important part of the curriculum. These life skills reach far beyond the school gates.

Over the last century, four species of butterfly and more than 60 moth species have become extinct. Three-quarters of British butterflies are now in decline and two-thirds of common and widespread moths saw numbers fall in the last 40 years. Butterflies and moths form an intrinsic part of our natural world.

Yet they are threatened by habitat degradation and loss, climate change and pollution. Helping butterflies and moths will not only ensure they are around to be enjoyed by future generations, but it will also improve and enrich our whole environment for people and wildlife. The disappearance of these beautiful creatures is more serious than just a loss of colour in the countryside. Butterflies and moths are: Common • Indicators of a healthy environment and healthy ecosystems Blue • An important component of a food chain, as both predators and prey • Important for pollinating flowers and plants • Extremely important for scientific research on climate change

Brimstone Ruby Tiger

Like canaries in the coalmine they (butterflies) can give us warnings of environmental dangers Sir David Attenborough, President of Butterfly Conservation

© IAIN H LEACH © BEN SALE 15 There are more ways you can help us protect these precious species. Why do moths matter? They are Share what you see Now that you’ve made your garden more attractive to butterflies, a significant part why not share the species you see with us? Butterfly Conservation of our wildlife runs multiple recording schemes to help understand how different and are vital for species are faring in different areas, which in turn helps us target the functioning research and conservation work where it’s needed most. of ecosystems. They are major Don’t forget! nocturnal Share your #NurtureforNature activities and sightings @savebutterflies. © HELEN ATKINSON We’d love to see them. pollinators of wild plants and play a central role in many food chains Sir David Attenborough, President of Butterfly

Become a member of Butterfly Conservation for half price Join our 40,000 members and support essential conservation projects to save threatened butterflies and moths throughout the UK. Together we have helped prevent species like the Heath Fritillary and The Big Butterfly Count is our biggest annual UK-wide survey and the biggest insect citizen the New Forest Burnet from becoming extinct, but science survey in the world! This year it will run from 16th July to 8th August and to take part all there is so much more that needs to be done. you need to do is count how many butterflies you spot in a green space in 15 minutes. To help you identify what you see, we have free resources including a handy butterfly ID chart and an Join today for half price and you’ll receive a welcome app available on both iOS and Android devices. pack in the post with our exclusive Gardening for Butterflies book, a set of collectable postcards, Get more gardening guidance leaflets to help you identify butterflies, moths and Gardening is a great way to help butterflies and moths. Visit the gardening section of caterpillars and a subscription to Butterfly magazine, our website to find more tips and ideas on how to play your part in your own which is published three times a year. backyard: https://butterfly-conservation.org/get-gardening Visit www.butterfly-conservation.org/halfprice

16 Dobbies supports Nurture for Nature

At Dobbies, our environmental practices are important to us and we are always looking at ways in which we can support sustainable solutions and garden wildlife.

We are committed to being peat-free as soon as we can - our aim is to be 90% peat-free during 2021 and 100% during 2022.

We are launching a range of peat-free products throughout 2021, as well as a whole host of other environmentally-friendly products, such as Coir Compost Blocks and © DOBBIES Blooming Amazing Peat-free Mulch and Soil Improver. Top tips from our Horticultural Director, Marcus Eyles: Did you know we don’t sell any pest control • Select simple single flowers to support pollinators in your garden products that have harmful chemicals? We • Put out fresh clean water for birds, or a bird bath, so they have have an action plan to ensure we only offer somewhere to have a drink and cool down environmentally-friendly pest control products. • The addition of a bee, bug, or butterfly hotel will provide shelter We are committed to recycling. In 2021, we are relaunching our pot recycling service and introducing compost bag recycling in a select We welcome the launch of the #TerraCarta from HRH Prince of Wales’ number of our stores. Sustainable Markets Initiative. The Terra Carta provides a road map to 2030 for businesses to move towards an ambitious and sustainable © DOBBIES Pollinators are great! We would encourage future. We are proud to be part of this initiative and proud to work with everyone to think about pollinators and our friends at Butterfly Conservation. wildlife when selecting flowers and planning For more information on wildlife-friendly products and gardening your garden. advice, visit dobbies.com. Not your average garden centre.

17 dobbies.com

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