Butterflies

[Tina]

I have two buddlieas, one in the front garden and one in the back. They
are covered in butterflies every warm day. More red admirals than usual
this year, lots of small tortoiseshells, not so many peacocks as normal.
A few Painted Ladies, the occasional Comma. How's your butterfly year?

[Mike Coon]

In article <gt6js8...@mid.individual.net>,
christin...@gmail.com says...

Just now, whites everywhere!

Mike.

[Bob Hobden]

Not much about here. Lots of large and small whites down on the
allotments and indeed flitting through our garden. In the last few days
a small blue, a male brimstone, and a fritillary (I think, bit far
away). Cant remember seeing a painted lady this year and only a couple
of peacocks early on. Nearly forgot a couple of meadow browns.


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Regards
Bob Hobden

[Stephen Wolstenholme]

On Tue, 3 Sep 2019 08:43:03 +0100, Tina <christin...@gmail.com>
wrote:

We had lots of butterflies until our gardener used some feed and weed
on the lawn. Of course it may be just a coincidence?

Steve

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[Tina]

Oh dear! I've only seen a few whites, but so many Red Admirals I felt I
needed to remark on it. I expect small tortoiseshells, peacocks and
commas as I grow a nettle bed for their caterpillars, but peacocks seem
to be down in numbers.

[Tina]

I've never seen a fritillary, probably too far north. I had brimstones
earlier in the year. No blues though. The painted ladies arrived about
a month ago although this is the first I saw any for years. I get
Speckled Woods too, but they don't seem to come to buddliea, they prefer
bramble flowers.

[Tina]

I don't think that could be anything to do with your lack of
butterflies, unless he also killed off your flowering plants that
attract them. What plants do you have that they like? They need to be
nectar rich, you can't really go wrong for attracting butterflies (and
bees) if you have a buddliea.

[Mike Coon]

In article <gtfugl...@mid.individual.net>,
christin...@gmail.com says...

>
> I don't think that could be anything to do with your lack of
> butterflies, unless he also killed off your flowering plants that
> attract them. What plants do you have that they like? They need to be
> nectar rich, you can't really go wrong for attracting butterflies (and
> bees) if you have a buddliea.

The only time (2010-08-08) I saw (and photographed) a humming-bird hawk-
moth in the UK was on a wild-ish buddliea...

Mike.

[pete]

On 7 Sep 2019, Mike Coon wrote
(in article <MPG.37dd734...@news.plus.net>):

I had a Humming-bird Hawk-moth in my garden here in Cornwall two weeks ago
hovering over some flowers in the garden, I’m no gardener so I can’t ID
the species, and the same day a friend up the road had one hovering over a
large bed of lavender.

I see them most years here in Cornwall.

pfj

[Stephen Wolstenholme]

On Sat, 7 Sep 2019 08:58:36 +0100, Mike Coon <gra...@mjcoon.plus.com>
wrote:

When I was a about 5 years old I found a big green caterpillar on a
gooseberry bush in our garden. I lived near Hollingworth lake in those
days. My mother knew it was a hawk moth and how to look after it.

I can still remember how upset I was when it became a moth an flew
away.

Steve

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[Tina]

I have envy. I've never seen a humming bird hawk moth and I would love
to although I doubt I ever will. You are a lucky man.

[Tina]

do you know now what type of hawk moth it was? I get the occasional
elephant hawk moth. I have two large poplar trees, but I haven't seen a
poplar hawk moth yet..

[Mike Coon]

In article <gu1pec...@mid.individual.net>, christin...@gmail.com
says...

I certainly feel priviledged! Back in May we were discussing waggle
dances. Which I saw just two years after the h-b h-m and a few metres
from the same spot...

Mike.

[Stephen Wolstenholme]

On Fri, 13 Sep 2019 16:10:25 +0100, Tina <christin...@gmail.com>
wrote:

I was only 5. That's 66 years ago. My knowledge of moths was near to
zero!

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