Forum Topic

Join in and take part in the 2021 Big Butterfly Count

It starts today 16 July and runs until 8 August.  The Count itself is just 15 min of your time - but there is lots of info and this would be a great activity to get the whole of the family involved in.Which butterflies do you know the names of and can identify already for instance?  (I failed on two out of the five in a Zoom quiz last night!)https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/

Philippa Bond ● 1928d14 Comments

Blue butterflies are supposed to be lucky.I saw one for the first time that I can remember last year.These ones have been reintroduced.  They have a rather bizarre and interesting life cycle.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/13/large-blue-butterfly-flutters-in-cotswolds-for-first-time-in-150-years

Philippa Bond ● 1926d

Not butterflies but all connected, I drove to Oxford and back during the week and there was almost no dead insects on the windscreen. Not good.The best place to see butterflies nearby I have found to be the top of the hill next to Ham Gate in Richmond Park.

Adrian Irving ● 1926d

The weather this year has not been good for insects I understand - the blue tits were unable to feed their young enough caterpillars.

Philippa Bond ● 1925d

Loss of habitat. It can only get worse. Gardeners World quote:: STOP TURNING YOUR BACK GARDENS INTO PATIOS AND YOUR FRONT GARDENS INTO CAR PARKS!!

Juliet Hogg ● 1925d

Let them park on the roads and that won't happen.

Janice Evans ● 1925d

You don't have to completely pave front gardens or have such large patios.  This is what is also causing flooding as the water cannot soak into the ground and runs off trying to find space in overloaded sewers.  It is so sad to see front gardens just decorated with wheelie bins when there could be some easy to look after shrubs and flowers.There are lots of fantastic water butts around nowadays. Masses of different shapes and colours and ones which split where the water goes. I bet there are people watering their gardens with drinking water from the tap today because they don't have a water butt or any other method of catching rain water!

Philippa Bond ● 1925d

You need lots of downpipes, I only have one and a large garden butMostly established shrubs that don't need watering often.

Janice Evans ● 1925d

People have swimming pools, ponds and water features, found it best notto have those things, although would like a wildlife pond, small one.

Janice Evans ● 1925d

The blue tits could have had a feast on my fig tree and tayberry plant which have been infested with small caterpillars. On a more positive note I spotted a female stag beetle in the garden the other day, a really lovely insect.

Michael David Rowe ● 1925d

Stag beetles are rare and I only remember seeing one once.  It's amazing that the larvae spend four to six YEARS living on rotting wood before they pupate.  There are some amazing pictures of the pupation online.https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/uk-beetles-british-most-spectacular-and-beautiful.html

Philippa Bond ● 1924d

With the extremes of weather the data will help inform on how the changing climate is affecting wildlife. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57859345

Philippa Bond ● 1920d

Philippa: Your copy&paste link 'https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/' may not be read fully by some devices as my Mac laptop has shown. I put the link in and got the reply "This Stencil app is disabled for this browser". I'm barred from changing the browser or upgrading the devise meaning that my expensive Mac laptop of 10 years or so has redundancy and dysfunctionality designed into it. Reminds me of Mayor Khan's ULEZ and my 15 year old car that is still very serviceable. So much waste and carbon-footfall designed into what we are persuaded is 'green'. Sigh!

Bobbie Carnegie ● 1919d

Sorry Bobbie - but you may be able to Google it knowing what you are looking for.  I don't know how to do clickable links or I would have done one.Here is another interesting article about the plight of insects:https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/25/the-insect-apocalypse-our-world-will-grind-to-a-halt-without-them

Philippa Bond ● 1918d

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/utrecht-bee-stopsI think they created these bus shelters really for the bees but of course they both like flowers.  Butterflies also need the plants that they lay their eggs on and which their caterpillars will feed on and this is often not appreciated.If companies can sponsor roundabouts then how about these bus stops?

Philippa Bond ● 1911d