That is my experience too. Last year was not very good, but the year before was fantastic. I had a clump of Verbena Bonarensis and at one point I counted over 30 butterflies on it - Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small tortoishell and Comma. I do not count Cabbage Whites.

Why not count the 'Whites'? Are they not just as pretty?

They are all part of the gardening ecosystem and butterflies are a good indicator of climate and habitat changes. Some have declines in numbers over the years while others seem to be increasing in numbers.

Strangely, in London where nobody grows cabbages, the whites appear to be quite prolific. All the usual suspects are present including Comma, Speckled Wood, Blue?, Meadow Browns, Hummingbird hawkmoth, various Whites, Peacocks, and the occasional Small Tortoishell.

Red Admiral and Painted Lady tend to appear later in the year.

Discrimination will not be tolerated. Whites count!

Moriati

all i have seen in the garden this year are cabbage whites (2 only ) this despite two of the largest buddlia sp? in the area. what is happening?

We have a lot of cabbage whites, and a couple of Commas, but not much else. Lots of bees this year, but few butterflies, despite the verbena, buddleia, nettles, brambles and assorted wild flowers grown for them.. Hope it's just a blip and they'll be back next year.. :/

Melanie

Thank you all for your (discouraging) news. I had hoped there might just be a local reason for the lack of numbers. Obviously not. I shall have to try looking further for an answer.

Chris

Butterflies are late over here in Jersey UK. But so is the buddleia. I find that they come at about the same time. Keep up the good work, Reg

Here is a link that might be useful: Reg's Water Garden

Scarcity of butterflies here this year too, and 2004 as well. (Haven't heard a cuckoo in 2004 or 2005 either, and we are very rural).However two ways to attract whatever butterflies are around - 1) cut pieces of brightly coloured cloth, soak in sugar solution and hang around the garden, - 2) make a butterfly bath - a brightly coloured bowl of gravel with sugar solution just to the top pf the gravel so that the butterflies can land and drink it. You can also do one with salt solution, (but I forget what that was supposed to attrect!!!)

P,S. We have had spotted fly catchers nesting in our garden for the past 17 years - but no sign of them either in 2004 or 2005. Hardly any swallows either.

Madeline - Having read your two posts, I am happy to say that we have no lack of cuckoos or swallows. Indeed, we have a noticable increase in our population of small birds. I would almost hope that this was the reason for fewer butterflies (more birds to eat the catapillars).

At the risk of getting off-topic, and on the subject of small birds - until last year, our domestic rubbish was collected in black bags. These were a magnet for crows and magpies, and we always seemed to have them hanging around. Then we got wheelie-bins. At the end of the winter, we hardly saw a magpie, and this has continued. Anyone else got a view of the benefit of WBs on small bird populations?

Chris

We seem to have more birds in our garden than last year (only my 2nd year in this house, so limited statistical value). The pond may have something to do with that.
I've not only heard cuckoos, but saw a pair in flight a few weeks ago!
Loads of cabbage whites, and a few other little butterflies, but definitely not much.

Apart from the birds taking the caterpillars, are your neighbours also wiping them out with chemicals? Much will depend on what they are trying to grow, and whether any new people have lately moved in with a more aggressive approach.

Berl

Since originally posting on this subject, I am happy to say that we now seem to have more butterflies. But nothing like last year's population.

Chris

Living in South London we have also noticed very few butterflies but during a recent visit to our cottage in Normandy we had 11 types of butterfly during 2 days of sunshine. These included Brimstone, Peacock, Comma, many Gatekeeper and Swallowtail (also Hummingbird Hawk and many other moths).

We are surrounded by arable and dairy farming and the garden has buddleia, thyme, Marjoram (as well as a range of flowering shrubs, particulary hybiscus and potentilla) and a litte wild patch with nettles and Knapweed.

Is it the milder climate, farming practices or plants for caterpillars?

Cyril,

Reading the last line of your message, I would guess that all three of the factors you mention are involved.

Chris

Our butterfly situation has improved, too. Aside from cabbage whites, there's now, er, blue ones and several different brown ones. I really should wear my glasses more when gardening.. :D

I keep finding caterpillars on everything, as well.

Melanie

We had some of the large butterflies very early in the season, then a very cold spell finished them off. Not much since except the usual pair of Holly Blues and Cabbage Whites.
A large brown Dragon Fly has visited our garden in August/September for several years, and it catches Cabbage Whites in flight. After a spectacular aerobatic display four white wings flutter separately to the ground, and it rattles off with the paunch. It has never settled long enough to be photographed, sadly.
Nik

Cabbage whites fluttering by here (by sea south coast)and seen someting nusual on my mint like a teeny tiny red admiral but with camera on mobile phone it came out a bit blurry :( Had two amazing dragonflies..not south of France size but bigger than usual UK size.. also lots of things that look like mosquitoes but seem to be smaller and slower or maybe just slower so I get a better look lol..

Abundant butteflies here on an Irish mountain. Peacocks especially. They need nettles which are also in abundance here. Cuckoos in spring,seen and heard, also the grasshopper warbler, and a great flock of swallows has been gathering up here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Irish Anchorhold

Hi Guy's n' Gals,
We've had loads, Admirals, Peacocks and Whites.

How's this for a reason, ahem .........................................................we live next door to the proverbial neighbours from hell and we only had a 3 foot high fence, Got that tired of the hassle, the eyeballing the cheecky little brats so I planted mixed hedge of Portugese Laurel and Hawthorne.

I realise you must all be wondering what Portugese Laurel and Hawthorne have got to do with Butterflies well they are fairly slow growing soooooooooo I have planted ~ 68 Mixed Buddlea at 1 meter intervals to the front of my hedge and WOW what a result, needless to say Buddlea are plobably one of the fastest and most vigorous growers of all plants I am sure you will agree and boy are they popular with the butterflies, needless to say they are not so popular with the neighbours from hell.