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Late butterflys
Was going to get rid of some nettles earlier this week only to find one
clump swarming with caterpillars (Probably painted lady) several hundred and all about 1/2 inch. Late, but they may well miss the birds that so often have them with me earlier in the year. a few years ago I was going to spray nettles in the spring, only to find they were all swarming with caterpillars, so I left them. Within a week not 1 caterpillar left, watched Blue tits gathering them to feed their chicks, so some wary nice blue tits but few butterflies. -- David Hill Abacus nurseries www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk |
Late butterflys
Late Butterflies - a glut today in the late summer sunshine.
I arrived home from work at about 4.15pm, to find the marjoram flowers awash with Gatekeepers, the lavender covered in bees and a mating pair of Common Blues. On the buddleia there were several Painted Ladies, Small Tortoiseshells, Red Admiral and a butterfly I have not seen for many years....a Marbled White. I was really, really chuffed. We also get Jersey Tiger moths (day flyers) which are so eye catching with their tomatoey red underwings. These balmy end of summer days seeme to be the very best for moths and butterflies. If the weather continues like it is, we will be blessed with seeing many more. |
Late butterflys
On Sat, 02 Aug 2003 22:53:42 GMT, Andy Spragg
wrote: "David Hill" pushed briefly to the front of the queue on Sat, 2 Aug 2003 14:55:36 +0100, and nailed this to the shed door: ^ Was going to get rid of some nettles earlier this week only to find one ^ clump swarming with caterpillars (Probably painted lady) several hundred and ^ all about 1/2 inch. Probably not - probably Small Tortoiseshell. Painted Lady prefers thistle AFAIK. Peacocks are the other theoretical possibility, though I personally have yet even to find even them :-( Whatever, I always like to see a good commune of caterpillars converting nettles into manure. We've got a real bumper crop round here at the moment, can't remember ever seeing so many - it's going to be butterfly heaven in a few weeks time. It's pretty close to it now. What do they look like? Green and yellow stripes down their length? = Totoiseshell http://www.habitas.org.uk/moths/larva.asp?item=5556 Black and spikey with tiny white spots ? = Peacock http://www.habitas.org.uk/moths/larva.asp?item=5559 Both like stingers, and I've often found them in "nests" or large groups. Tim. |
Late butterflys
On Sat, 02 Aug 2003 22:53:42 GMT, Andy Spragg
wrote: "David Hill" pushed briefly to the front of the queue on Sat, 2 Aug 2003 14:55:36 +0100, and nailed this to the shed door: ^ Was going to get rid of some nettles earlier this week only to find one ^ clump swarming with caterpillars (Probably painted lady) several hundred and ^ all about 1/2 inch. Probably not - probably Small Tortoiseshell. Painted Lady prefers thistle AFAIK. Peacocks are the other theoretical possibility, though I personally have yet even to find even them :-( Whatever, I always like to see a good commune of caterpillars converting nettles into manure. We've got a real bumper crop round here at the moment, can't remember ever seeing so many - it's going to be butterfly heaven in a few weeks time. It's pretty close to it now. What do they look like? Green and yellow stripes down their length? = Totoiseshell http://www.habitas.org.uk/moths/larva.asp?item=5556 Black and spikey with tiny white spots ? = Peacock http://www.habitas.org.uk/moths/larva.asp?item=5559 Both like stingers, and I've often found them in "nests" or large groups. Tim. |
Late butterflys
"David Hill" wrote in message ...
Was going to get rid of some nettles earlier this week only to find one clump swarming with caterpillars (Probably painted lady) several hundred and all about 1/2 inch. Late, but they may well miss the birds that so often have them with me earlier in the year. a few years ago I was going to spray nettles in the spring, only to find they were all swarming with caterpillars, so I left them. Within a week not 1 caterpillar left, watched Blue tits gathering them to feed their chicks, so some wary nice blue tits but few butterflies. These are probably Small Tortoiseshell. Painted Ladies do use nettle but prefer thistle and lay their eggs singly and thus do not produce swarms of caterpillars. I live close to you David only a few miles away. In fact I was brought up literally down the road from where your nursery is now. Painted Ladies are having a good season. -- Neil Jones- http://www.butterflyguy.com/ "At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog National Nature Reserve |
Late butterflys
".... I live close to you David only a few miles away. In fact I was
brought up literally down the road from where your nursery is now. ...." You'll tell me next you remember when we were at Caer Hendy. Its small brown butterflies that are everywhere here -- David Hill Abacus nurseries www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk |
Late butterflys
In article , David Hill writes Was going to get rid of some nettles earlier this week only to find one clump swarming with caterpillars (Probably painted lady) several hundred and all about 1/2 inch. Late, but they may well miss the birds that so often have them with me earlier in the year. a few years ago I was going to spray nettles in the spring, only to find they were all swarming with caterpillars, so I left them. Within a week not 1 caterpillar left, watched Blue tits gathering them to feed their chicks, so some wary nice blue tits but few butterflies. If they're on nettles they are probably Small Tortoiseshells, or possibly Peacocks, and this isn't really late, this is the second breeding of the summer. They normally have two life cycles a summer, the over-wintering adults producing eggs in April-May, which hatch into caterpillars in May-June and, after pupating, produce adults by late June and in July, and then these in turn lay eggs to produce caterpillars right now in July-August. There's plenty of time for these to pupate and then hatch into butterflies in time for them to over-winter and round we go again. -- Malcolm |
Late butterflys
"David Hill" wrote in message ...
".... I live close to you David only a few miles away. In fact I was brought up literally down the road from where your nursery is now. ...." You'll tell me next you remember when we were at Caer Hendy. Its small brown butterflies that are everywhere here I'd be interested to know what these are. 3 are a likely possibility. Ringlet. Dark chocolate brown with noticable yellow rings on the underside. This often flies in dull weather. Iar Fach y Glaw (Rain butterfly) in Welsh. Meadow Brown lighter in colour more greyish underside no really noticable spots. The females have some orange on them. (They are there but are absolutely tiny. A professor spent years studying those spots.) Hedge Brown also called a Gatekeeper. More noticeably orange on the upperside. Smaller than the other 2. I'd be very interested to know if this is with you. It's distribution on the other side of the hill has been very interesting. If they are very small they might be Small Heath which is rather light brown. Thumnail size. You are within half a mile of what was once one of the finest butterfly sites in the whole of Wales. 28 of the 40ish Welsh species bred there. The whole of the old county of Glamorgan has about 34 species. -- Neil Jones- http://www.butterflyguy.com/ "At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog National Nature Reserve |
Late butterflys
In article , Malcolm
writes There's plenty of time for these to pupate and then hatch into butterflies in time for them to over-winter and round we go again. Is there any way to produce a 'suitable' place for them to overwinter? And do they just 'sit there' wings folded and ziz for the winter? And, why don't the spiders take them for 'big eats' over the winter? (Thinking of those I see trying to get out of the garage and flapping away at the glass) Mike -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days you are the statue. |
Late butterflys
In article , Mike writes In article , Malcolm writes There's plenty of time for these to pupate and then hatch into butterflies in time for them to over-winter and round we go again. Is there any way to produce a 'suitable' place for them to overwinter? And do they just 'sit there' wings folded and ziz for the winter? And, why don't the spiders take them for 'big eats' over the winter? (Thinking of those I see trying to get out of the garage and flapping away at the glass) Small tortoiseshells want to hibernate in the dark and cool, but preferably not too damp. And yes, they just sit there, with their metabolism slowed right down and 'ziz'. They often choose buildings, but it is much better if you can provide them with a garden shed or garage to do this, with open access during the autumn they want to go in and in spring when they want to emerge, and actively discourage them from coming into the house, where all too often the heating wakes them far too early in the spring. If I find them in the house, I transfer them to the garage whenever possible. I also check the garage windows in spring in case some have failed to find the always open door. I'm sure spiders get some, but more usually the ones flapping around than the ones hibernating. -- Malcolm |
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