for Butterflies

DENISE WHITTLE

In the UK our cover two million acres of land – that’s 15 million gardens, each of which can be a mini nature reserve for butterflies and moths, cared for by .

SAVING BUTTERFLIES, MOTHS AND OUR ENVIRONMENT 3 1 4 2

5 Create a 7 wildlife 6 Top ten haven nectar 1. Buddleia 2. Ice Butterflies and moths are far less 3. Lavender common now than they were 50 4. Michaelmas Daisy 5. Origano years ago and you don’t have to look 6. Aubretia hard to find out why 7. Red Valerian 8. French Marigold ince the 1940s, 97 per cent of wildflower 9. Hebe meadows have been destroyed, along with 10. Candytuft. 8 Smuch downland, ancient woodland and peatbogs. Many species are in serious decline, as For more information about butterfly their countryside habitat has been lost to industrial friendly gardening visit and housing developments, intensive farming www.butterfly-conservation.org and roads. 10 Your , or even a window box, can provide a lifeline for butterflies struggling to find food and shelter. 9 Left: Small Tortoiseshell GO WILD If you have space, create a wildflower meadow. Sow a wildflower and grass seed mixture on bare ground or allow grasses already there to grow and add wildflower plants. Encourage butterflies Try to buy genuine UK wildflower seed. Flora Large and Small White caterpillars away from Locale has a list of specialist growers and the brassicas. Stinging nettles are a favourite of suppliers of British native plants. Visit the Comma and Red Admiral. You can limit their www.floralocale.org into your garden spread by planting them in a large container In the first year cut the area several times to sunk in the ground. give wildflowers a chance against competitive grasses. In subsequent years, grass can be cut FLOWER POWER Butterflies seek out the warmest part of GREEN FINGERS at the end of each summer. Leave a few patches Butterflies visit gardens to drink nectar from your garden so grow flowers Environmentally friendly gardening can make a of long grass where caterpillars can pass the flowers. A window box in a built-up area can in sunny sheltered areas. big difference to butterflies. winter. supply the fuel a butterfly needs to Peat bogs are home to many special animals fly on to a more suitable habitat. THE HUNGRY and plants, including the Large Heath butterfly, In a larger plot you can provide CATERPILLAR which is declining across Europe. nectar throughout the season It is important to support Avoid peat-based and help to and enjoy butterflies all butterflies at every stage preserve these rare habitats. Good summer long. Many good of their life cycle. Adult alternatives are available from nectar plants are hardy, butterflies lay eggs on the garden centres. perennial and easy to grow. foodplant of their caterpillar. Cut down on your use of To encourage butterflies to breed in your back and . They kill butterflies, garden make sure you moths and many other pollinating insects, cater for their caterpillars as well as ladybirds, ground beetles and too. Grow Nasturtium near spiders – the natural enemies of your the vegetable patch to lure garden pests. Garden Comma 55-50mm Gatekeeper 40-47mm The Comma’s name comes from the comma The Gatekeeper gets its name because shaped marking on the underside of its wing. it likes to live in hedgerows, so it is Butterflies often spotted around gates.

Identify the magical jewels that are our garden butterflies

This guide only covers the most commonly occuring garden butterflies. If you see any other 63-69mm species or would like to know more about how Peacock to encourage butterflies, please visit The Peacock flashes the eye-spots on its wings www.butterfly-conservation.org to stop birds trying to eat it! Meadow Brown 50-55mm Orange-tip 45-50mm Because the Meadow Brown caterpillar feeds Only the male Orange Tip has orange tips. on many different grasses, this species can The female is white all over, but both have be found in many places. green camouflage underneath.

Holly Blue 35mm Painted Lady 64-70mm The Holly Blue is the only blue butterfly The Painted Lady arrives here every year after found in our gardens; the caterpillar feeds on flying all the way from Europe. Red Admiral 67-72mm Small Tortoiseshell 50-56mm Holly and Ivy. The Red Admiral used to migrate from Africa Blue spots on wing edges are a key but now lives here due to climate change. difference between Small Tortoiseshell and Painted Lady.

Green-veined White 50mm Large White 63-70mm Small White 48mm Speckled Wood 47-50mm There are four white butterflies in Britain, The Large White caterpillar is brightly The Small White is attracted to white flowers The Speckled Wood is territorial and will and none of them are called the coloured to warn predators that it is full of where it likes to rest as it is camouflaged defend its patch from other butterflies, dogs Cabbage White. poisonous mustard oils. from predators. and people.

BUTTERFLIES ARE NOT TO ACTUAL SIZE. MEASUREMENTS GIVEN ARE AVERAGE WINGSPAN BECOME A MEMBER TODAY Join by Direct Debit for your FREE GIFT Butterfly Gardening by Jenny Steele, plus receive three months free membership!

Visit www.butterfly-conservation.org/join and select ‘Gardening Leaflet’ in the Where did you hear about us tab or call us on 01929 406015.

Thanks Photographs with thanks to: Jim Asher, Verity Cridland, Stephen Davis, Henk Bosma/Dutch Butterfly Conservation, Andrew Lawson, Stuart Logan, Howard Rice, Keith Warmington, Denise Whittle.

BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION, Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset BH20 5QP T: 01929 400209 F: 01929 400210 E: [email protected] W: www.butterfly-conservation.org Company Limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP Charity Registered in England and Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268)