On Sunday afternoon, in a bit of sunshine, the garden was full of butterflies. Mostly Red Admiral and Peacock.
I managed to get a few photos of them on a climbing rose and the Buddleias.
Peacock butterflies are named after their markings resembling the end of a Peacock feather and that's easy to guess at but I read in one place that Red Admiral butterflies were once called Red Admirable and over time this changed to today's name. So nothing to do with markings and a ships captain - which is what I had assumed.
Red Admiral and Peacock butterflies are probably two of the most recognisable of our butterflies, neither have anything similar to them. They both have a wingspan of 6cm and lay their eggs on common stinging nettles which the larva of both then feed on (luckily there are plenty of those this year over the road in the un-used part of the graveyard).
When their wings are folded both are well camouflaged. The Peacock underwing is marbled smoky brown and black and the Red Admiral is almost black underneath with its jagged edges making it look like a dead leaf.
This is a page from the book by Celia Lewis - An Illustrated Country Year
Did you take part in the Big Butterfly Count?
ReplyDeleteSorry that was me asking about the count.
DeleteI did a few years ago before moving here but hadn't thought about it since
DeleteIsn't it good to see butterflies in our gardens. Nettles are very beneficial. I don't know if you've eaten them, but they may. but they make a good spinach substitute, a delicious soup, tea, and dried, you can crumble them and use them as an herb.
ReplyDeleteI've had nettles in omelettes - they didn't add much - prefer chives!
DeleteIt's mostly cabbage whites in my garden . . .
ReplyDeleteThe massive protection over the Purple Broccoli here is working - touch wood
DeleteWe seem to have done OK for butterflies so far this year, but I do have a lot of Buddleias and nettles.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad of the Buddleias even though they keep getting too big
DeleteSue, you asked to be reminded about my sil, Julie on Countdown, apparently it's today and not tomorrow as I thought.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame she came up against one of those young guys who seem to have learned the dictionary off by heart, but did very well and very brave to get on there and take part
DeleteI seem to be seeing mostly Cabbage Whites at the moment, the little buggers babies have decimated my spinach and kale. :-(
ReplyDeleteTalking of Peacocks, an actual pair of peacocks are now roaming parts of our town, they liberated themselves from a large houses garden about a year ago and now they roam at will through gardens and up and down the river.
A few cabbage whites but my Broccoli is well protected.
DeleteHope the peacocks don't do that frightening noise they make and wake you up in the night!
We're short of butterflies this year, so I'm glad to see yours. Butterflies and moths do seem to sport posh titles, though, Emperor, monarch, viceroy, so I always thought admiral was just another.
ReplyDeleteWe don't get such large and exotics here - maybe with climate change we will someday
DeleteYour photos are great, Sue, and that book is helpful! Besides the Monarch, I didn't know the names of the butterflies I see! Now I will have to watch out for those you mentioned! Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how widespread Red Admiral and Peacocks are. They are certainly common in Europe according to my butterfly book
DeleteI too have a mental block some days and can't think of a topic.
ReplyDeleteA few days off seems a good idea when I've done nothing to blog about!
DeleteI love butterflies and have a scarf which I wear frequently filled with butterflies on a blue background. Catriona
ReplyDeleteAlways seems a treat to see them each summer - they cheer up the day
DeleteHow fortunate you are to have these 2 pretty butterflies visit your garden. It seems I get only Cabbage Whites. Granny M
ReplyDeleteIt’s lovely to see a few more butterflies in the garden, just lately. When I think back to my childhood, they were everywhere! I never get tired of reading butterfly blog posts! 😁
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photo's of those butterflies.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Oh Sue, they are so beautiful. and lovely to see them in the garden!
ReplyDeleteI really like doing the butterfly counts in July and August. You only need to count for 15 minutes at a time and you can count and post results from anywhere, not just your own garden. Butterfly Conservation are the organisers. Certainly beats the garden birdwatch looking out of the window and seeing not a lot but pigeons and pheasants on a cold January day! Sarah in Sussex
ReplyDeleteIsn't it good to see the butterflies back . I didn't see so many last year.
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful. I'm hoping to see a few when I'm over. There are some bushes in Christchurch Park in Ipswich that really seem to attract them.
ReplyDeleteLots of Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies on the buddleias here in East Yorkshire but no Painted Ladies which have some years dominated the butterfly count.
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely butterflies! I don't see too many. There does seem to be a few in our area this year though so hopefully I'll manage some photos.
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