Where have the butterflies gone?

LisaO

We have a couple of huge buddleia shrubs (sometimes known as butterfly bush) & every year when it flowers and (if!) the sun shines, it would be smothered in butterflies, dozens & dozens of them. Last year we recorded 6 or 7 different varieties in one afternoon.

This year - only 2 red admirals so far & shrub has been in full flower for over a week now. Even during the hot dry weather of last weekend there were none

Judgement Day

Wet weather - especially in July has a serious effect on the butterfly's ability to breed. I have only seen 1 Red Admiral in the garden this year but plenty of Cabbage Whites which keep on attacking the brocolli and cauliflower plants.

Link below gives more information.:):)


www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/24/conservation.wildlife

r3nu4l

Judgement Day wrote: »

Wet weather - especially in July has a serious effect on the butterfly's ability to breed. I have only seen 1 Red Admiral in the garden this year but plenty of Cabbage Whites which keep on attacking the brocolli and cauliflower plants.

Link below gives more information.:):)


www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/24/conservation.wildlife

Indeed. I've had red admirals in the garden this year and a good few of my cabbage plants have literally been reduced to stalks because of all the cabbage white caterpillars munching on them. There's no lack of butterflies in East Anglia! Then again we've had a very warm sunny summer here so far...

LisaO

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/24/conservation.wildlife

So with another wet July this year that is really bad news :mad:

Tar.Aldarion

Is it just me or are there way less than there used to be even when it is dry?

r3nu4l

Dragging this thread up again. August was the dullest August since records began in the UK yet we've still had lots and lots of butterflies. Last weekend while I was having lunch at our patio set I watched three cabbage whites chasing each other around our Maple tree. The wee feckers are also still sniffing around our cabbages

I'm seeing a majority of cabbage whites with a couple of red admirals and not much else. The number of CWs though is really making up for the lack of other species

Gaspode

I'm in Dublin and have noticed no reduction in butterflies this year compared to other years. There's nowhere near as many as there was 15 years or more ago, but I just put that down to the growing city more than the weather....

Galvasean

I have seen quite a few red admirals this year. However there have been very few cabbage whites showing up in my garden compared to the last few years.