Thursday, August 06, 2015

Butterflies and Butterfly Colours

 I've already submitted one entry for the Big Butterfly Count and I've been asked to do another before this coming Sunday but there aren't many butterflies around at the moment.  Just the occasional large white (we used to call them cabbage whites) flitting around the garden.

 Whilst spotting in various places I've noticed that the later summer flowers seem to echo the colours of the butterflies I've seen around.

 Meadow Brown


Sun Flower

 Speckled Wood

Sunflower

 Fritillary


Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia)

Small Tortoiseshell

Edit Sunday 9th August - above Helenium flowers thank you Debbie

Perhaps if the sun appears tomorrow I may be able to do another 15 minute count. 

Here is a link to the Big Butterfly Count - link - there are still a few days left if you want to join in.

24 comments:

  1. I've tried to do a count but between weather and busy days I've not had a lot of time and when I could have done this, the weather hasn't been good for it! I'm still hoping to do it, but we'll see how things go!

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    1. The weather just hasn't been right has it? I did manage a second count on Friday at Quarry Bank Mill in the garden so I must enter those findings soon:)

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  2. I've printed off the chart and am waiting for a dry and sunny day to do it! I believe it runs until the end of August. I don't believe I have ever seen a speckled wood or a fritillary in my garden but I have seen plenty of butterflies for months! The poor things fly into the conservatory and I am constantly trying to save them. I hope you get some sun tomorrow. It is hot and humid here! x

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    1. I think you can record up until today 9th and enter your findings up until the end of the month. Hope you get your dry and sunny day - I notice that in your corner of the country you are getting higher temperatures than here:)

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  3. We were out on a picnic last weekend and saw more butterflies than I'd have expected. I hope it means that things aren't as bad as was thought.

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    1. I hope so too - how lovely to have a picnic whilst watching the butterflies:)

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  4. I don't think I have seen any in my garden....although I am avoiding my garden at the moment...it is under construction! You have some great photos in this post though Rosie xxx

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    1. Thanks. That sounds like serious work, Lyn - we have been busy in the garden this weekend:)

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  5. There are plenty here in the glorious weather. Not so many in my garden, but then it's a work in progress and needs more butterfly friendly plants.

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    1. It will be fun to chose suitable plants when you are ready - our Buddleja plant hasn't done very well this year, neither have the sedums and they are the two plants that the butterlies love:)

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  6. It's too early here for butterflies, certainly in the garden anyway. We see the odd orange tip and cabbage white but it's not till mid August when the buddleja's out that we get many in the garden, and then it's still only peacocks (my fave), small tortoiseshell, and red admirals.

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    1. We used to get loads of peacocks and red admirals in the garden but not so many over the last few years and I haven't seen any yet this year just the tortoiseshells and cabbage whites:)

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  7. I think the daisy in the bottom picture is Helenium, I haven't done a butterfly count but we get loads of Peacocks and Red Admirals on the buddljia and lots of small brown ones but I haven't seen them close up to work out what they are. We don't get speckled woods here.

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    1. Thanks, Debbie - I wasn't sure about the flowers they were in the same bed as the pink and white Echinacia and a similar shape, nice to know what they are - I'd love some in my garden such a vibrant and cheering colour:)

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  8. What great photos. Your shots of the butterflies are stunning xxx

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    1. Thanks, Diane took ages to get some of the shots but worth waiting for:)

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  9. There don't seem to be as many about this year but like you say plenty of cabbage whites.

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    1. Maybe we'll see more later in August and September - too late for the count though:)

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  10. Really stunning photos. I can never quite get that clarity.

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    1. Thanks for your kind words, I'm glad you liked the photos:)

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  11. Really gorgeous butterflies and flowers!

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    1. Thank you, Marie glad you enjoyed them:)

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