There's just something about them. Perhaps it's the way that they appear to symbolise the spring and the summer? The way that they flutter around seemingly unaware of our presence? Their deadly important role in our ecosystem? The scarcity of some British species?
Whatever it is, I am absolutely fascinated by them, and can easily say that they're some of my favourite British wildlife.Yet, like a lot of things on these islands, they are in a lot of trouble, with several species in alarming decline and their ranges also declining. The reasons are varied. Loss of wildflower meadows, of which we've lost over 98% of such habitats. Pesticides and agriculture. Pollution. The usual story. But before I discuss that and what you can do to help butterflies where you live, I want to showcase some butterflies I have photographed in the UK.
Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary
Coverack, Cornwall, June 2015
Coverack is a stunning seaside village on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. My family has been going there since before I was born, and it never really gets boring. It's beautifully quiet, and for such a small place, has a lot to offer. There's Roskilly's ice cream, the Paris Inn, the Old Lifeboat House restaurant and a variety of adorable little gift shops littered around the place. There's also plenty to offer for little adventures, too. There's Chynalls Point, for instance, which rewards you with beautiful views of the village and the sea (as well as ponies that have attempted to eat my camera straps a few times!). That's where I saw this beautiful, rare butterfly.
The Small Pearl-Bordered Fritiallary is listed as a Priority Species by the Biodiversity Action Plan, and Butterfly Conservation (which obviously looks after British butterflies) lists it as a species with conservation priority. It's declined by over a third since the 1970s. I was pleasantly surprised to see this butterfly as we sat at Chynalls Point, taking in the magnificent view, and managed to get a fair few shots that I'm quite proud of.
 |
| Hello, Handsome! |
 |
| Those underwings <3 |
We also spotted a male common blue and a speckled wood. They're beautiful butterflies, but thankfully they are nearly in so much trouble as the poser above!
 |
| Male common blue |
 |
| Speckled wood |
Dover's Butterflies
The White Cliffs
If there's one thing that Dover does well, it's the nature reserves. There's Lydden Temple Ewell, which is home to hundreds of bee orchids. Old Park Hill, where I used to volunteer with the Kent Wildlife Trust and you can see reptiles and birds of prey (I have a fond memory of being sat around the fire in the dead of December, eating a pasta salad while talking to the other volunteers, and watching the buzzards in the distance). Samphire Hoe, created from the waste when they made the Channel Tunnel, home to skylarks, peregrines, lizards, amphibians, orchids and all sorts of other beauties. Then there's the famous White Cliffs. If it's butterflies you're after, it's butterflies you'll get. And plenty of them (just watch out for the ponies!). I may be biased, but these are truly beautiful cliffs.
 |
| Top to bottom: Male common blue, large white, meadow brown (although a little bit is telling me it could be a gatekeeper!) |
More Butterflies
 |
| Peacock butterfly, Sutton-on-the-Forest, York, April 2015 |
 |
| Wall brown, Jennycliff, Plymouth, May 2015 |
 |
| Little heath, Samphire Hoe, between Dover and Folkestone, June 2015 |
So...
What can I do to help, I hear you cry?
The answer: LOTS AND LOTS.
As I've already pointed out, the UK has lost over 98% of its wildflower meadows, which are vital habitats for these charming insects. There are a few plants that you could put in your garden to attract butterflies.
- Buddleia. We have a huge buddleia plant in our back garden, and every summer it is absolutely covered in butterflies. We've seen blue, peacock, comma, tortoiseshell, red admirals and large white butterflies among others, so it is worth it.
- Lavender
- Orregano
To provide your newcomers with as many nectar-goodness opportunities as possible...
... don't use herbicides and pesticides. Butterflies (as well as spiders and ladybirds) are very sensitive to these harsh chemicals
... plant your flowers in a sunny yet sheltered area. Butterflies love the sun, obvs, but they need to be able to settle on the plants rather than being windswept
There is also lots of very good advice on the Butterfly Conservation website. Please check it out.
http://butterfly-conservation.org/292/gardening.html
Over and out! Keep them butterflies fluttering!
No comments:
Post a Comment