I read somewhere recently that moths and butterflies are a measure of the health of the environment.
Now I know it's been an odd kind of "summer" with very little sun and generally lacking in warmth but I was wondering if we would ever see any butterflies in the garden or on our walks.
In the past two years the numbers of butterflies have been quite low and later than usual. This year the buddleia is more than halfway through flowering and the butterflies have only appeared in any numbers in the past couple of days.
Much of the butterfly decline seems to be related to loss of habitat especially out in the countryside and what is known as habitat fragmentation. Habitats only surviving in small pockets so it is hard for the butterflies to travel any distance.
Perhaps the butterflies have all stayed south in England or on the Continent where it's warmer. That could be one explanation.... Whatever the reason please help by planting flowers for wildlife.
This is our butterfly sightings so far.
A white on Rosebay Willow Herb. I think it's probably a large Cabbage White but don't quote me! 
Peacock
Fritillary
Burnett Moth
Tortoiseshell
Meadow Brown
Meadow Brown
Small Heath
Common Blue
Red Admiral
"The caterpillar does all the work and the butterfly gets all the publicity" attributed to George Carlin
Lovely photos, butterflies certainly add a certain something to gardens don't they. so colouful.We have had lots but not lately, the weather is now cooler and wetter, I think they have come up to you!!
ReplyDeleteJanet thanks for commenting on my mornin glory post. Nice collection of butterflies and moths. They add so much to garden pleasure. Thanks for the fav also. Your blog is very inspirational. Until next time, greggo.
ReplyDeleteWow Janet... what a great variety of winged visitors. Delighted for you that they have finally arrived... we are still waiting but not likely to see so many... going green now :-D
ReplyDeleteI marvel at the fact that you can actually take decent photos of the butterflies, it is darned tricky to do. Well done.
ReplyDeleteA-h-hh...how nice to see so many butterflies in one spot. Some of these I am able to catch on film, and so I am not...they are too quick to flit away. Thanks for sharing...
ReplyDeleteThey do move when they see a shadow and I almost gave up trying to get a phto of the small Heath butterfly. I'm sure they were having fun at my expense....
ReplyDeleteIt looks to me as though all the butterflies are up in Scotland - I haven't seen as many as that here! And when I do see them they nearly always seem to be just passing through (they only pose for photos when my Dad is involved!).
ReplyDeleteI love your photo of the fritillary - the light and detail in it are glorious.
Great pictures Janet! I like the one of the fritillary with the bee.
ReplyDeleteRe: my pepper plants--I haven't pinched the side shoots. I haven't really noticed as many on the peppers as on the tomato plants.
Very pretty butterflies! I'm afraid ours are suffering due to the heat and drought. A tough year for butterflies.
ReplyDeleteReally pretty photos, especially the 3rd one down. Great to see!
ReplyDeleteSo lovely to see so many butterflies. You definitely have seen many more than I have this year. Between the drought and the wildfires here in Texas, I am certain they are avoiding us for friendlier skies.
ReplyDeleteWhat great photos - and an impressive collection, at least from my jaundiced perspective! My garden is crammed with plants that butterflies allegedly love, and yet all I see are the occasional Large White and what I think is a Meadow Brown. I think it is down to the fragmentation you speak about, most of the surrounding back gardens are barren so far as butterflies are concerned. The bees and hoverflies seem to cope, but not their prettier cousins. Maybe lack of suitable host plants for their caterpillars? Anyhow, congrats on your "crop" of winged wonders.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that butterflies are a rarity everywhere this year. I thought they were south but Julitet and Janet haven't seen many. It's too hot in the States. Where are they all. By the way my photos were mostly taken out in the countryside only a few were in the garden and that's only been recently. So maybe the butterflies are in Ireland.
ReplyDeleteA fantastic collection Janet! The image of the Fritillary and Bumblebee in action is splendid. We've got to keep the old Thistles going somehow even though they're terrible weeds, such important plants for our pollinating friends! Can you recall what plant the Burnet Moth was feeding on?
ReplyDeleteBertie
Hello Bertie. it looks like a Burnett to me and it's feeding on a thistle. But the caterpillars in that area are the stripey, distinctive Cinnebar and feed on ragwort. Can you shed any light on this?
ReplyDeleteAha, more Thistle action! Thanks Janet. I’m not sure on those caterpillars, try and capture some in action next time as I’d be interested to see them!
ReplyDeleteBertie
Hi Bertie, if you look at my butterfly post on the 5th July, you will see the caterpillar which I have wrongly named as a Burnett. But the moths are Burnetts and they are seen in the same area. I have never seen a cinnabar up here! I will find out....
ReplyDeleteI just perused the said post and can only presume the caterpillars in question are Cinnabars!
ReplyDeleteBertie