Boost the butterflies

Who doesn’t love seeing a butterfly in the garden, flitting and dancing through the border, before landing on a flower and spreading its colourful wings? The sight takes me right to my childhood and the big buddleia bush in our front garden that provided hours of fun, catching butterflies in fishing nets and trying – usually unsuccessfully –to get them to crawl about on my hand for as long as possible before they opened their wings to fly away. At that time in the early 1980s, I remember the tortoiseshells and peacocks in abundance, while red admirals and painted ladies were more coveted, and a bright yellow brimstone would be worthy of a shout indoors to show another family member. Caterpillars were another source of fascination, my favourite being the elephant hawkmoth caterpillar – big, dark and velvety with those fake ‘eyes’ to scare off predators. I was also happy to ‘collect’ cabbage-white caterpillars from the veg plot, and keep them as pets in various boxes and tins.

Local butterfly populations are constantly in a state of flux, with some sadly in decline and others on the up, but they all need help from us gardeners, who can play a vital part in providing nectar-rich plants for the adults and food for the caterpillars. According to Butterfly Conservation – a UK charity dedicated to butterflies and moths – nearly half of our 59 British butterfly species are threatened or near-threatened with extinction, among them the rare and beautiful swallowtail. It’s illegal to catch handle or harm this butterfly, along with a handful of other ‘fully protected’ species, without a licence, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Many others are ‘partially protected’ meaning they can’t be sold, dead or alive.

One of the best ways we can help these beautiful creatures is to plant nectar-rich flowers in our garden. Buddleia, also known as the butterfly bush, is the number one recommended plant for attracting them, with its long racemes of purple flowers providing an abundance of summer nectar. These plants are easy to grow to the extent that they will grow just about anywhere – in cracks in a wall or on railway embankments, and also tolerate hard pruning if they get too large. Lots of varieties are available, including smaller ones suitable for containers. Deadhead regularly so the flowers keep coming, and so will the butterflies.

The flat pink flowerheads of Sedum spectabile provide a good landing spot and all-important autumn nectar, which helps butterflies build up their reserves for over-wintering. Spring is also an important time, when they come out of hibernation, and will appreciate wallflowers, apple blossom and grape hyacinths.

Naturally occurring wild flowers and plants are also important, as they’ll provide a succession of nectar through the year. If you have the space, then strips of meadow will help to provide nectarrich plants. Think too about breeding grounds and food for caterpillars. A patch of nettles will do the job, along with holly, ivy, thistles, docks and sorrels. Avoid using insecticides and pesticides, which kill many pollinating insects, including butterflies and their larvae. Allow fallen fruit to remain on the ground for late-summer butterflies such as the red admiral and painted lady, who enjoy feeding on rotting pears, apples and plums.

Butterflies have always embodied transformation and change, because of their mysterious and miraculous life cycle of metamorphosis, and as such have long been the subject of folklore and legend. Many ancient civilisations have linked the butterfly to the human soul. Irish folklore considers it bad luck to kill a white butterfly, because it holds the soul of a child. Native Americans believed they would carry wishes and prayers on their wings to the Great Spirit. Catch a butterfly and whisper it a wish, and your wish will come true, as long as the butterfly is not harmed in the process. In the Appalachian mountains of the United States, if you are able to count the spots on a fritillary’s wings, this will tell you how much money is coming your way. In ancient Greece, Aristotle gave the butterfly the name Psyche, after the beautiful Greek goddess of the soul, who was often portrayed as having butterfly wings.

Collective nouns for groups of butterflies include ‘kaleidoscope’, ‘flutter’ and ‘bivouac’, the latter referring to a group that is resting together. Another interesting fact is that many butterflies can taste with their feet, to check whether the leaf they sit on is a good place to lay eggs.

If you want to get involved with butterfly conservation, there’s still time to take part in the Big Butterfly Count, which runs from mid-July to 6 August. Simply choose a sunny spot and spend 15 minutes counting the butterflies you see. Submit your records online at the Big Butterfly Count website or via the Big Butterfly Count app. There’s a free ID chart available, or download the app to help identify and record the butterflies you spot. Visit bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org to find out more.

The Somerset and Bristol branch of Butterfly Conservation is another good starting point, and is organising guided butterfly walks through August. Visit somersetbristolbutterflies.org.uk for details, and to find other ways to get involved. n

• ellyswellies.co.uk

Plant of the Month: Verbena bonariensis

Verbena bonariensis is known for its tall, slender stems and clusters of small purple flowers from midsummer to autumn. It is airy in habit with a see-through, transparent effect, so won’t block the plants behind, making it great for adding height to mixed borders. The nectar-rich flowers are highly attractive to pollinators, including butterflies and bees, and it is low maintenance, growing well in most soil types, and in sun or partial shade. Once established, Verbenabonariensis is tolerant to drought, but will benefit from watering during dry spells in its first year or so. Plants die back in winter and emerge from the base again the following spring, although it may not survive in particularly cold spells, so a layer of straw or mulch in winter over the roots will help it surive. Don’t cut back the old dead stalks until new ones have emerged in spring, as they will also provide protection. It’s well suited to gravel gardens, cottage-style gardens or meadow planting, alongside ornamental grasses, and other late-summer bloomers such as rudbeckia, echinacea and salvias. Plants self-seed readily but are easy to pull out if they become a nuisance. The rigid stems are long-lasting, making it a great cut flower as well.