Cúrsaí Teagaisc Teaching Matters

Mí an Mheithimh – Gairdín Scoile na bhFéileacán Growing caterpillar food- on the school grounds Paddy Madden continues his series of SESE tips Wild grasses such as Red Fescue (Festuca rubra), Brown butterflies such as Speckled Wood, , , Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata), Yorkshire Small Heath, Wall Brown, Meadow Brown and lay Fog (Holcus lanatus) Annual Meadow Grass their eggs on these. An uncut area on the verge of a hedge or a (Poa annua), Couch Grass ( repens) wild meadow will attract them. Painted Nettle (Urtica dioica) The caterpillars of the Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Lady Hedge Garlic Painted Lady feed on this . Plant in a container sunk in the ground so that they don't spread. Hands-on: the school butterfly garden Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) The caterpillars of the Small Blue, Wood White, Dingy Skipper and the Common Blue feed on this plant. Hedge Garlic (Cardamine pratensis) and Lady's The caterpillars of the Orange Tip and Green-Veined White feed in these plants. Smock (Pulicaria dysenterica) Holly (Ilex aquifolium) and Ivy (Hedera helix) Caterpillars of Holly Blue feed on the of these. What is it? Did you know? u 013 was a good year for butterflies in Ireland Nasturtium (Tropaeolum spp.) and Cabbage Caterpillars of Large White and Small White feed on these. A sheltered, sunny area on u ere are 33 species of butterfly that are because of the good weather-populations the school grounds with two resident or regular visitors to Ireland. were up by 3% in comparison with 01. Lady’s Smock types of plants: u Butterflies are in decline all over the world u e Pearl-Bordered Fritillary is the most u ones full of nectar to because of loss of habitat and the use of threatened species in Ireland. attract adult feeders; and pesticides u No Irish species is protected by law. Possible design of a garden u ones that are food-plants u Since 1984, 50% of butterfly species in Ireland u Brown butterflies such as the Wall Brown, u A raised bed or planter surrounded with stone facing south filled with a of different types of have declined drastically. Grayling, Gatekeeper and Small Heath are in mixture of soil and compost would be ideal. Small Toirtoiseshell caterpillars. u Ireland has the lowest butterfly count in the EU. decline because of the loss of meadow grasses. u Place a flat stone on the bed for basking butterflies. on Buddleia u Place tall plants at the back; medium plants in the middle; small plants at the front. Green-Veined White Sweet Rocket u Grow larval food-plants in separate containers. School gardening news Spring: nectar plants u will have a school garden at Bloom for the fourth time. Right: One type of Literacy/Litearthacht u The Second Annual School Gardening Conference will take place Aubretia (Aubretia deltoides) Small perennial for front of border. planting scheme in u Larval food-plant /Biaphlanda in MIE on 4 October 2014. Honesty (Lunaria annua) Hardy biennial. Interesting seed heads. butterfly garden. larbha: A plant that the larvae of a Sweet Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) Perennial. Fragrant. is will cater for 15 butterfly eats. All caterpillars have Wallflower (Cheiranthus cheiri) Hardy biennial. Plant in October. butterfly species. their favourite plants. Planda a Yellow Alyssum (Alyssum saxatile) Rockery perennial. Trim back after flowering. itheann larbha d’fhéileacán. Bíonn Primrose (Primula vulgaris) Native. Needs the dappled shade of a hedgerow or woodland edge. Maintenance a rogha phlandaí ag gach bolb. Elephant Ears (Bergenia cordifolia) Perennial. Easy to grow. u Caterpillars of peacock, u Nectar-plant /neachtar-phlanda : A Candytuft (Iberis umbellata) Annual. Thrives in poor soil. Sow in September or April. red admiral, small plant with a good supply of nectar tortoiseshell and painted to feed butterflies. Planda a bhfuil lady like young, tender Red Admiral soláthar maith neachtair ann chun Elephant Summer: nectar plants nettle shoots so it’s a on Sedum féileacáin a chothú. Ears good idea so sections u Butterfly larva /Larbha féileacáin: Catmint (Nepeta mussinii) Perennial. Full sun. should be cut in rotation Another name for a butterfly larva Thyme (Thymus drucei) Perennial. Full sun. starting in June to ensure the growth of young shoots. is a caterpillar. Ainm eile ar larbha Marjoram (Origanum officinale) Perennial. Full sun. u In late autumn cut back the dead stems of perennials. féileacáin ná bolb. Globe-thistle (Echinops Perennial. Full sun. u In May weed and feed the perennials; apply a mulch of garden compost or u Meadow grass /cuise: Grass that is sphaerocephalus) Stems and prickly. well-rotted manure. cut twice a year in late June and Buddleia (Buddleia davidii) Shrub. In March cut back u Leave a section of meadow grass uncut for over-wintering pupae. late September. Féar a ghearrtar to within 5cm of old wood. dhá huair sa bhliain go déanach i Hebe (Hebe spp.) Shrub. Long-flowering Mí an Mheithimh agus go déanach evergreen. Common i Meán Fómhair. Lavender (Lavandula spicata) Full sun. Well-drained soil. Resources Blue Butterfly Buíochas do Marie Whelton (MIE) Cut back after flowering. Websites mentioned plus: don aistriúchán Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) Native. Perennial. Grows u www.ecolandscapes.ie Good for habitat creation. well in flowering lawn. u www.irishbutterflies.com Good for identification. Bramble (Rubus fruticosus) Native. Needs a hedgerow. u www.butterflyireland.com Good for identification. u www.npws.ie Good for conservation. Paddy Madden Bramble u www.blackrockec.ie/node/129 Video on how to lectures on SESE make a butterfly patch. in MIE. He gives Autumn: nectar plants u www.butterflies.biodiversityireland.ie short courses to Peacock Good for monitoring butterflies. whole staffs on Butterfly Ice-plant (Sedum spectabile) Perennial. Full sun. u www.schoolearthed.ie/pdf/intouch/Working school gardening and also Michaelmas Daisy (Aster novi-belgii) Perennial. Full sun. InTandem_Sept11.pdf Zoom in on butterflies from visits schools through the Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) Perennial. Full sun. InTouch archives. Heritage in Schools Scheme. Helenium (Helenium autumnale) Perennial. Sun or part-shade. u www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/documents/ His book, Go Wild at School , Petunia (Petunia x hybrida) Half-hardy annual. Dead-head regularly. Education%20Resources/EduRes_Butterfly has recently been reprinted. Verbena (Verbena bonariensis and venosa) Perennial. Former self-seeds. Garden.pdf Setting up a butterfly garden. Available from paddy. Michaelmas Daisy Phlox (Phlox paniculata) Perennial. Sun or light shade. u Chapter six of Go Wild at School : A Bee, Butterfly [email protected] for €18 Sweet Scabious (Scabiosa atropurpurea) Hardy annual. Long-flowering. and Hoverfly Patch. (includes p&p).

 InTouch June 2014 InTouch June 2014 3