Garden Centre

Friday, April 24, 2009

Wildlife Gardening: planting for butterflies

In the past fortnight, as well as the overwintered Peacock butterfly that decided to sit on my husband's hand and prevent him doing any mowing, I’ve seen two Wall Brown butterflies in the garden, along with several Holly Blues. As we like butterflies, I’ve been looking at what it is that attracts them to the garden. There are two areas the Wall Browns seem to like:– the first is around the pond, where we have pebbles and stones in an area that borders the lawn and is very sunny, and their other favourite spot is near the ornamental currant. Their first spot certainly makes sense as they are said to lay eggs in open grassland where the turf is broken or stony. They eat a lot of grasses and in the pond area we have several carex and sedges that they are probably enjoying as a habitat if not a food source.

The Holly Blues are always in the same place – the fatshedera - which they adore. They lay their eggs on it and as it grows in one of those corners of the garden that will support almost nothing else: it’s between an ancient and unproductive apple tree, and a shady wall, only a yard from the shed, I’m very happy for them to have their share of the plant. It’s worth it to see their pale blue flutterings in that dank and rather sombre corner of nothingness.

Both species spend a lot of time hanging around the lavender bushes too, which suggests that they are using it as a food supply.

We try not to tidy up too much in winter, as the best way to increase the butterfly population, after planting things they will use as a food source, is to leave the areas where the pupae or overwintering caterpillars can rest undisturbed. We also have a wall covered in ivy, which is a natural winter home for tortoiseshells and peacocks.

Labels: carex, fatshedera, garden butterflies, lavender, peacock butterfly, sedge, wall brown butterfly

The All Seasons Gardener at 10:40 AM 1 Comments

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