Where are all the butterflies?

[The PIT]

All in my Garden suddenly appeared this week.

[Crepuscular Ray]

Millions of the blighters around here. Gonna have to chop down that butterfly bush right outside my front door. Bored of 'em now - bring on the daddy long legs - a surefire harbinger of Autumn and 'brighter' days to come.

 

On a slightly different note, there were a lot of lacewings around on Thursday evening - more than I've seen in several years.

[Jax]

Millions of the blighters around here. Gonna have to chop down that butterfly bush right outside my front door. Bored of 'em now - bring on the daddy long legs - a surefire harbinger of Autumn and 'brighter' days to come.

Your kidding right?

[laserguy]

Your kidding right?

 

Er.... about which bit? None of it, actually!

[Jax]

Er.... about which bit? None of it, actually!

chopping down your bud bush!

 

mad man, just mad (trim your bush)

 

 

*and reading that back it just looks tacky*

[Richie V]

I don't mind butterflies however... I have a BIG problem with cabbage whites. They are a total pain. They are causing severe damage to my fir and spruce sapling crop. Love it or hate it, i've waged chemical warfare against them. They are laying hundreds of eggs in the spruces. When they hatch the caterpillars stick 3 to 4 saplings together then chew out the crowns. I don't have a problem with the others.

[Crepuscular Ray]

Perhaps you should call in some academics to document this behaviour - it appears to be a new departure for these brassica-loving caterpillars and, as such, might be a worry. On the other hand, if it's the similar-looking caterpillars of a pest-moth, the authorities should probably be told anyway.

Edited August 3, 2013 by Crepuscular Ray

[Richie V]

Hi crep, I was thinking the same thing too, the caterpillars are definately from the whites.

[Methuselah]

I had a peacock butterfly in the house, today - it was resting on a dirty sock...A definite 'departure'!

[Crepuscular Ray]

Perhaps you should grow cabbages as a sacrificial crop?  Or, at least, check with the Forestry Commission how bad they think the threat might be.

Perhaps peacock butterflies have acquired a liking for cheese?

Edited August 3, 2013 by Crepuscular Ray

[Richie V]

They are very partial to Hwangshan pine (pinus hwangshanensis) and Serbian spruce (picea omorika)

[Methuselah]

Nasturtiums can be a handy sacrificial crop?

[mushymanrob]

I don't mind butterflies however... I have a BIG problem with cabbage whites. They are a total pain. They are causing severe damage to my fir and spruce sapling crop. Love it or hate it, i've waged chemical warfare against them. They are laying hundreds of eggs in the spruces. When they hatch the caterpillars stick 3 to 4 saplings together then chew out the crowns. I don't have a problem with the others.

 

how odd.... i cant see how they can be cabbage white catterpillars, can you post a piccy?... i thought catterpillars were speciese specific... i mean, spruce isnt even related to brassicas..

[Jax]

Nasturtiums can be a handy sacrificial crop?

But dont they attract black flies/aphids ?