Planting for butterflies

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Same as all HTUK forums, be courteous, polite and tolerant, remember everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if you don't agree with it ;)
kata

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by kata »

So Rob,

You would'nt mind cabbage whites eating your Fern leaves. Remember how some creature spoiled my Fern last year?
bittenfernleaf.jpg
Whatever, Cabbage White or the Moths that have never gone away since I bought the Fern just carried on eating till I got the water feature.

:(
fern Rob

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by fern Rob »

kata wrote:So Rob,

You would'nt mind cabbage whites eating your Fern leaves. Remember how some creature spoiled my Fern last year?
bittenfernleaf.jpg
Whatever, Cabbage White or the Moths that have never gone away since I bought the Fern just carried on eating till I got the water feature.

:(
Honestly i would move them, there isn't enough butterflies in my opinion. Why does the water feature stop the damage?
kata

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by kata »

I can't move it, Insects have wings anyway... :lol: :lol:

Errm..Water would drown them... :lol: :lol: so they don't go near. The Moths are hovering in wait for a juicy leaf to eat at the moment.

Safe yet as there is no leaf when one is ready to emerge from the crown the water feature will be turned on and left on.

How would you like your Fern to look like that...you would'nt!!
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Yorkshire Kris
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Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

AAAAAAnyway.... the Alder buckthorn plants are now planted and ready to leaf up and established and wait to be eaten by Brimstone Caterpillars. :D
samtobuk
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Location: Cheltenham

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by samtobuk »

Are you sure they are moths? Firstly almost all moths only fly at night (there are a few exceptions), so unless you are out there with a torch they are more likely lacewings or something like that, and secondly I've never heard of any species that feed on ferns and I've been into lepidoptera since I was a teenager (could be wrong though). Leaves are pretty tough to chew through.

Can't think why the presence of water feature would have any impact either, some might be attracted by water but wouldn't repel any.

Sorry, can't help but defend my moths!! :lol:

Glad to hear the Buckthorns are in, sure some Brimstones will be along shortly if we get more sunny days like today to reward you with a few eggs! icon_sunny
Alexander

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by Alexander »

Knautia arvensis and Scabiosa columbaria are also good nectarplants fot butterflies. And do start flowering earlier then Budleia.

Alexander
Tom2006
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Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 11:23 am
Location: East Yorkshire UK

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by Tom2006 »

Can't beat buddleia. Mine was covered in butterflies from the moment it flowered last summer. The nice weather saw a population boom and they were literally queuing up for flower space.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
Alexander

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by Alexander »

Buddleia seems to be number 1 for butterflies indeed! They prefair the Chinese instead of native stuff...

Alexander
RogerBacardy

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by RogerBacardy »

Saw some butterflies on Sunday:

Image
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RogerBacardy

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by RogerBacardy »

double post - d'oh!
Last edited by RogerBacardy on Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
RogerBacardy

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by RogerBacardy »

The place that had the butterfly enclosure also had plants for sale, including some exotics (E.G. cannas, ensetes and gingers in leaf), but funnily enough a load of them had been nibbled on, as if there were caterpillar damage! :)
kata

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by kata »

AAAAAAnyway.
:lol: :lol: Kris

Sam, no real solution last year, when I can then I will bring an Image. Its a two white winged creature, also been here all winter just hovering the lawn.

would love to know what it is then I could treat the Fern.

They could be baby cabbage whites as I found another Caterpillar yesterday on a plant I was recycling.

Lovely Butterflies Rog!!
Alexander

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by Alexander »

Here the tropical butterfly Caligo atreus catterpillars love the leaves of Hedychiums and Musa. Also some palms and Strelitzia they like. Well its a beautifull butterfly so it may eat some of the plants. Well in the tropical butterflygarden here in town. And thanks mainly to those Hedychiums I did introduce a couple of years ago there are now many Caligo atreus. And if I find catterpillars on slow growing Strelitzia nicolai of palms I pick them up and place them on vast growing Musa ornata.

Alexander
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MonkeyDavid
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Location: Telford, Shropshire

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by MonkeyDavid »

Most species of butterfly will only lay their eggs on a specific 2 or 3 species of plants, most of which are native 'weeds', shrubs or trees. As Kris says-no catterpillars, no butterflys
fern Rob

Re: Planting for butterflies

Post by fern Rob »

MonkeyDavid wrote:Most species of butterfly will only lay their eggs on a specific 2 or 3 species of plants, most of which are native 'weeds', shrubs or trees. As Kris says-no catterpillars, no butterflys
Im fond of caterpillars in the garden.
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