Has anyone seen any butterflies this year in England?

[Jim in the West]

There are increasing numbers in our garden attracted by the tree with the pointy purple bits just coming into blossom (sorry don't know its Latin name). Bees also appearing on the Lavender bush.

Buddleia.

We've got one, and quite a bit of lavender - butterflies and bees love them.

 

[jevs]

What about Bees!

Any plants i put in the Rockery are hopefully as Bee, Butterfly or pollenating insect friendly as possible. But there's one plant in flower at the moment called Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail' which is absolutely covered in Honey Bees, quite impressive really.

 

[knocky1]

Buddleia.

We've got one, and quite a bit of lavender - butterflies and bees love them.

Spot on. Known as the butterfly bush. Latin Buddleja Davidii.

We have that one and the Buddleja Globosa, which has beautiful orange globe flowers.

Buddleja is a foreign, invasive plant and very common along railway lines and brown field site areas. Good news for Butterflies.

 

[perseus]

Not been so many this year, but the best time in early August is yet to come:

http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings.html

Just cycled Shoreham to Steyning and back for the dentist and saw twelve different species on the way without trying. This is a bit low really. Could have made 15 different ones if I went out of my way. Variety, but the numbers were low.

Someone pointed out a Wild Marjoram plant with 40 butterflies of four different species: mostly Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns, but also a Ringlet and Small Skipper.

 

[Superphil]

Just seen this on my wheelie bin, flew away just after I took the pic

 

[Rod Marsh]

Had 4 or 5 in my garden at once over the weekend.

 

[perseus]

Shoreham Blues



Six butterflies from Shoreham. The brown one is a girl.

 

[Wellesley]

Not many about this year. Most of them have had their heads smashed in by rabid Reading fans.

 

[jevs]

Lots of whites, common/large blues, peacocks, commas and gatekeepers around in the Rockery at the moment. A few lovely mint moths too although i've not seen a hummingbird hawk moth this year yet

 

[glasfryn]

View attachment 67914

Six butterflies from Shoreham. The brown one is a girl.

they are beautiful
have seen a lot more over here in Eastbourne
there seems to be a glut of them this year