UKButterflies Larval Foodplants website page lists the larval foodplants used by British butterflies. The name of each foodplant links to a Google search. An indication of whether the foodplant is a primary or secondary food source is also given.
Please note that the Butterfly you see for only a short time has grown up on plants as an egg, caterpillar and chrysalis for up to 11 months, before becoming a butterfly. If the plants that they live on during that time are removed, or sprayed with herbicide, then you will not see the butterfly.
|
Topic - Wildlife on Plant Photo Gallery.
Some UK native butterflies eat material from UK Native Wildflowers and live on them as eggs, caterpillars (Large Skipper eats False Brome grass - Brachypodium sylvaticum - for 11 months from July to May as a Caterpillar before becoming a Chrysalis within 3 weeks in May) chrysalis or butterflies ALL YEAR ROUND.
Please leave a small area in your garden for wildflowers to grow without disturbance throughout the year for the benefit of butterflies, moths and other wildlife who are dependant on them.
Butterfly
Usage of Plants
by Egg, Caterpillar, Chrysalis and Butterfly
|
Topic -
Plant Photo Galleries for Wildflowers
There are 180 families in the Wildflowers of the UK and they have been split up into 22 Galleries to allow space for up to 100 plants per gallery.
Each plant named in each of the Wildflower Family Pages may have a link to:-
its Plant Description Page in its Common Name in one of those Wildflower Plant Galleries and will have links
to external sites to purchase the plant or seed in its Botanical Name,
to see photos in its Flowering Months and
to read habitat details in its Habitat Column.
Wild Flower Gallery
with its
flower colour comparison page,
space,
Site Map page in its flower colour
NOTE Gallery:-
...Blue Note
...Brown Note
...Cream Note
...Green Note
...Mauve Note
...Multi-Cols Note
...Orange Note
...Pink A-G Note
...Pink H-Z Note
...Purple Note
...Red Note
...White A-D Note
...White E-P Note
...White Q-Z Note
...Yellow A-G Note
...Yellow H-Z Note
...Shrub/Tree Note
Each of the above 17 Flower Colour Comparison Pages compares the wildflowers with that flower colour in the top section using the thumbnails of the ones that I have. This is followed by a list of all the Wildflowers of the UK that have that same flower colour. Then, in the right hand table is the list of Wildflowers of the UK with that habitat as shown below:-
- White A-D
and
Habitats of Saltmarshes, Beaches, Rocks and Cliff Tops
White E-P
and
Other Habitats
White Q-Z
and
Number of Petals
- Cream
and
Coastal Sandy Shores and Dunes
- Yellow A-G
and
Pollinator
Yellow H-Z
and
Poisonous Plants
- Orange
and
Habitat of Hedgerows and Road Verges
- Red
and
Habitat of Pinewoods
- Pink A-G
and
Habitats of Lakes, Canals and Rivers
Pink H-Z
and
Habitats of Marshes, Fens and Bogs
- Mauve
and
Habitat of Grassland - Acid, Neutral or Chalk
- Purple
and
Habitats of Old Buildings and Walls
- Blue
and
Flower Legend
- Green
and
Habitat of Broad-leaved Woods
- Brown
and
Food for Butterfly / Moth
- Multi-Coloured
and
Habitats of Heaths and Moors
- Shrub and Small Tree
and
Habitats of River Banks and Other Freshwater Margins
Seed 1
and
Scented Flower, Foliage or Root
Seed 2
and
Story of Their Common Names
Non-Flower Plants and
Non-Flowering Plant Use
Introduction
and
Edible Plant Parts
Site Map
and
Use of Plant
You can find the wild flower in one of the 23 Wild Flower Galleries or the Colour Wheel
Gallery
If
you know its name, use
Wild Flower Plant Index a-h,
Wild Flower Plant Index i-p or
Wild Flower Plant Index q-z
you know which habitat it lives in,
use
Wild Flowers on
Acid Soil Habitat Table,
on Calcareous
(Chalk) Soil,
on Marine Soil,
on Neutral Soil,
is a Fern,
is a Grass,
is a Rush, or
is a Sedge
you know which family it belongs to, use
Wild Flower Family Pages menu below
|
Wild Flower Family Page
(the families within "The Pocket Guide to Wild Flowers" by David McClintock & R.S.R. Fitter, Published in 1956 are not in Common Name alphabetical order and neither are the common names of the plants detailed within each family. These families within that book will have their details described as shown in the next column starting from page 1 in February 2017 until all the families have been completed on page 307.
This may take a few months of my time before I get to the Adder's Tongue Family on page 307.
The information in the above book is back-referenced to the respective page in "Flora of the British Isles" by A.R. Clapham of University of Sheffield,
T.G. Tutin of University College, Leicester and
E.F. Warburg of University of Oxford printed by Cambridge at the University Press in 1952 for each plant in all the families)
followed by
No. of Plants of that Family
that have a row with their details in their flower colour in this central data table;
and then
the relevant entries in the Habitat Index Pages and other characteristics in other Index Pages in the Page Menu / Index Table on the left
(with over-flow in another table below the flower colour in the central data table and then onto
continuation pages)
within this gallery
|
Adder's Tongue
|
Amaranth
|
Arrow-Grass
|
Arum
|
Balsam
|
Bamboo
|
Barberry 2
|
Bedstraw
|
Beech
|
Bellflower
|
Bindweed
|
Birch
|
Birds-Nest
|
Birthwort
|
Bogbean
|
Bog Myrtle
|
Borage
|
Box
|
Broomrape
|
Buckthorn
|
Buddleia
|
Bur-reed
|
Buttercup 45
|
Butterwort
|
Cornel (Dogwood)
|
Crowberry
|
Crucifer (Cabbage/Mustard) 1
|
Crucifer (Cabbage/Mustard) 2
|
Cypress
|
Daffodil
|
Daisy
|
Daisy Cudweeds
|
Daisy Chamomiles
|
Daisy Thistle
|
Daisy Catsears
|
Daisy Hawkweeds
|
Daisy Hawksbeards
|
Daphne
|
Diapensia
|
Dock Bistorts
|
Dock Sorrels
|
Clubmoss
|
Duckweed
|
Eel-Grass
|
Elm
|
Filmy Fern
|
Horsetail
|
Polypody
|
Quillwort
|
Royal Fern
|
Figwort - Mulleins
|
Figwort - Speedwells
|
Flax
|
Flowering-Rush
|
Frog-bit
|
Fumitory 3
|
Gentian
|
Geranium
|
Glassworts
|
Gooseberry
|
Goosefoot
|
Grass 1
|
Grass 2
|
Grass 3
|
Grass Soft Bromes 1
|
Grass Soft Bromes 2
|
Grass Soft Bromes 3
|
Hazel
|
Heath
|
Hemp
|
Herb-Paris
|
Holly
|
Honeysuckle
|
Horned-Pondweed
|
Hornwort 2
|
Iris
|
Ivy
|
Jacobs Ladder
|
Lily
|
Lily Garlic
|
Lime
|
Lobelia
|
Loosestrife
|
Mallow
|
Maple
|
Mares-tail
|
Marsh Pennywort
|
Melon (Gourd/Cucumber)
|
Mesem-bryanthemum
|
Mignonette
|
Milkwort
|
Mistletoe
|
Moschatel
|
Naiad
|
Nettle
|
Nightshade
|
Oleaster
|
Olive
|
Orchid 1
|
Orchid 2
|
Orchid 3
|
Orchid 4
|
Parnassus-Grass
|
Peaflower
|
Peaflower Clover 1
|
Peaflower Clover 2
|
Peaflower Clover 3
|
Peaflower Vetches/Peas
|
Peony 1
|
Periwinkle
|
Pillwort
|
Pine
|
Pink 1
|
Pink 2
|
Pipewort
|
Pitcher-Plant
|
Plantain
|
Pondweed
|
Poppy 9
|
Primrose
|
Purslane
|
Rannock Rush
|
Reedmace
|
Rockrose
|
Rose 1
|
Rose 2
|
Rose 3
|
Rose 4
|
Rush
|
Rush Woodrushes
|
Saint Johns Wort
|
Saltmarsh Grasses
|
Sandalwood
|
Saxifrage
|
Seaheath
|
Sea Lavender
|
Sedge Rush-like
|
Sedges Carex 1
|
Sedges Carex 2
|
Sedges Carex 3
|
Sedges Carex 4
|
Spindle-Tree
|
Spurge
|
Stonecrop
|
Sundew
|
Tamarisk
|
Tassel Pondweed
|
Teasel
|
Thyme 1
|
Thyme 2
|
Umbellifer 1
|
Umbellifer 2
|
Valerian
|
Verbena
|
Violet
|
Water Fern
|
Waterlily 3
|
Water Milfoil
|
Water Plantain
|
Water Starwort
|
Waterwort
|
Willow
|
Willow-Herb
|
Wintergreen
|
Wood-Sorrel
|
Yam
|
Yew
|
Total 65
|
The following article about flash-flooding caused by concreting over front gardens by Janice Turner in her Notebook was published by The Times on Thursday July 1 2021:-
"Walking down a pretty street I'd always admired for its front gardens with wooden gates and well-tended flower beds, I noticed men at work laying concrete slabs. With a power point being installed too, it was clear the garden was being paved to charge an electric car.
In London, with an ultra low emission zone extended to the suburbs from October, many people are busy switching vehicles. With fears that even hybrids will soon be verboten, most have bought electric. But this creates a problem: running cables from house o pavement is an illegal trip hazard and, as yet, not enough lamposts have been adapted into charging stations.
So how many front gardens will be concreted over to create private power sources? A 2015 study by the Royal Horticultural Society noted that 1 in 4 front gardens had been paved, mainly to avoid parking fees. The result was more flash-flooding, higher urban temperatures and less biodiversity and opportunity for birds to feed. Plus it makes neighbourhoods ugly and monochrome. Now more gardens will be dug up, this time because the owners aspire to be green."
"Mon, 27 Nov 06
Britain is now building the smallest homes in Europe, it seems. A recent think-tank report shows most of Europe builds houses of an average 100 sq m, while here in the UK fresh data from Wolsey Securities shows the national average plot size decreased a further 0.2% last month to 968 sq ft. (89.9 sq m.)" from Home.co.uk.
A new house is approximately 31 x 31 feet, which would fit into my front garden.
"The length of a compact car is about 14.5 to 15 feet and measures about 5.5 to almost 6 feet wide." from reference.
Allowing 2 feet around the car for access, then the drive becomes 19 feet x 10 feet (570 x 300 cms). 2 inches (5cm) of rain falling onto this 5.70 x 3.00 concrete drive is 0.855 cubic metres of water. Modern contractors only dig a 1 cubic metre sump for this 2 inch (5cm) depth of rainwater per occasion over their new drives. If the drive is larger, then the sump will fill up and overflow onto the public road. If the subsoil is clay, then no matter it's size, it will become full of rainwater and new rain will overfill it. The only way it will reduce the stored water is for it to be absorbed into the clay. Clay can absorb 40% of its volume before it turns from a solid to a liquid. So what happens is the clay expands and the house gets subsidence. Then, the excess rainwater goes into the storm drains and that is what causes the flash-flooding mentioned in The Times article. Remember that the rainwater falling on the roof also goes into this stormdrain.
"Many storm drainage systems drain untreated storm water into rivers or streams." from wikipedia.
The rainwater that used to fall on that plot and soak into the ground, now mostly goes into a storm drain, then a river and then the sea, so we lose that rainwater for it to be used as a supply of water to the household. So, the more you cover the ground with concrete motorways, roads, houses, and other buildings the less water will be going into reservoirs to be used for humans as shown by my Drinking Water depri-vation in Medway article.
Raw Sewage is discharged into rivers (more than 200,00 times in 2019) and the sea (2,900 occasions onto English and Welsh beaches in a year) across the UK and Ireland. The Environment Agency published full data on raw sewage discharges last year, showing a 37% year-on-year increase: 3.1m hours of human effluent flows, pumped via storm drains into English waters in some 400,000 occasions.
Because you do not keep your own rainwater on your own property, then it either overflows your soakaway and goes into the road and down a storm drain or the water is directed into your downpipe from your roof and then into the same stormdrain. This then overloads the system. Also, if you keep on building, but do not provide the necessary upgrade to the sewage system, then that causes the same problem. You should not go anywhere near the beach or any river in Great Britain.
"The oxygen you breathe to keep you alive has mostly been produced by plants. A 25 feet x 25 feet lawn can produce enough oxygen for you to keep breathing each year.
A car driven 60 miles will consume the same amount of oxygen that a mature beech tree produces in 1 year, creating more Carbon Dioxide. Increasing Carbon Dioxide increases the heat in the atmosphere and creates Climate Change. The increase in temperature will raise sea level to drown many acres of coastal areas around the world within the next 30 years, including my house.
Green Solution: Use Cedadrive Stabilisation system instead of concrete slabs for drive area. Fill it with Heicom Tree Sand, water it, sow wildflower meadow mixture Barflora Flower Meadow and retop with same sand. Then in the autumn, mow it once and have something that provides you with oxygen as well as hard standing for your car.
This Cedadrive could occupy the whole of your front garden and thus keep all the rainwater that falls on it as well.
If you put the same system on your back garden, then maintenance time is minimal, small children and pets can play on it, and you can have table/chairs and barbecue being supported by it.
|
|
Plants used by the Butterflies follow the Plants used by the Egg, Caterpillar and Chrysalis as stated in
A Butterfly Book for the Pocket by Edmund Sandars.
Published by Oxford University Press London: Humphrey Milford in 1939.
and
The Butterflies of Britain & Ireland New Revised Edition by Jeremy Thomas & Richard Lewington.
Published by Bloomsbury Natural Hstory in 2016. ISBN 978 0 95649 026 1.
|
Plant Name
|
Butterfly Name
|
Egg/ Caterpillar/ Chrysalis/ Butterfly
|
Plant Usage
|
Plant Usage Months
|
Alder Buckthorn
|
Brimstone
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg under leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
10 days in May-June
28 days.
12 days.
|
Aspen
|
Large Tortoiseshell
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches encircling the branch of the food plant.
Feeds on leaves.
Hangs suspended from stem.
|
Hatches after 18-22 days in April.
30 days in May
9 days in June.
|
Black Medic
|
Common Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats buds and flowers.
Base of food plant.
|
-
-
Spend winter at the base of the food plant. They resume feeding in March.
2 weeks
|
Common Birdsfoot Trefoil
|
Chalk-Hill Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg at base of plant.
Eats leaves.
---
|
Late August-April
April-June
1 Month
|
Common Birdsfoot Trefoil
|
Common Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats buds and flowers.
Base of food plant.
|
-
-
Spend winter at the base of the food plant. They resume feeding in March.
2 weeks
|
Common Birdsfoot Trefoil
|
Wood White
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg laid on underside of leaflets or bracts.
Eats leaves.
---
|
7 days in June.
32 days in June-July.
July-May.
|
Bitter Vetch
|
Wood White
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg laid on underside of leaflets or bracts.
Eats leaves.
---
|
7 days in June.
32 days in June-July.
July-May.
|
Borage
|
Queen of Spain Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg laid under the leaf or on top of the flower.
Eats leaves, then before pupating it eats the bloom and leaves of the pansies.
---
|
7 days in August.
23 days in August-September.
3 weeks in September
|
Bramble
|
Holly Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of a flower bud on its stalk.
Eats flower bud.
---
|
7 days.
28-42 days.
18 days. Early September to Late April for second generation.
|
Buckthorn
|
Holly Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of a flower bud on its stalk.
Eats flower bud.
---
|
7 days.
28-42 days.
18 days. Early September to Late April for second generation.
|
Buckthorn -
Alder Buckthorn and Common Buckthorn
|
Brimstone
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg under leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
10 days in May-June.
28 days.
12 days.
|
Burdocks
|
Painted Lady
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
2 weeks
7-11days
7-11 days
|
Cabbages - ELarge White eats all cruciferous plants, such as cabbages, mustard, turnips, radishes, cresses, nasturtiums, wild mignonette and dyer's weed
|
Large White
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
40-100 eggs on both surfaces of leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
May-June and August-Early September. 4.5-17 days.
30-32 days
14 days for May-June eggs, or overwinter till April
|
Cabbages
|
Small White
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
May-June and August. 7 days.
28 days
21 days for May-June eggs, or overwinter till March
|
Cabbages:-
Charlock,
Cuckoo Flower (Lady's Smock),
Hedge-Mustard,
Garlic-Mustard,
Yellow Rocket (Common Winter-Cress),
Watercress
|
Green-veined White
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
July or August; hatches in 3 days.
16 days.
14 days in July or for caterpillars of August, they overwinter till May.
|
Cabbages:-
Charlock,
Creeping Yellow-cress,
Cuckoo Flower (Lady's Smock),
Dame's Violet,
Hedge-Mustard,
Horseradish,
Garlic-Mustard,
Lady's Smock,
Large Bittercress,
Rock-cress (Common Winter-Cress),
Yellow Rocket (Common Winter-Cress),
Watercress,
Wild Turnip
|
Orange Tip
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg laid in the tight buds and flowers.
Eats leaves, buds, flowers and especially the seed pods.
---
|
May-June 7 days.
June-July 24 days.
August-May
|
Cherry with
Wild Cherry,
Morello Cherry and
Bird Cherry
|
Large Tortoiseshell
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches encircling the branch of the food plant.
Feeds on leaves.
Hangs suspended from stem.
|
Hatches after 18-22 days in April.
30 days in May.
9 days in June.
|
Clovers 1, 2, 3
|
Common Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats buds and flowers.
Base of food plant.
|
-
-
Spend winter at the base of the food plant. They resume feeding in March.
2 weeks.
|
Clovers 1, 2, 3
|
Pale Clouded Yellow
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
|
10 days in May-June.
July-August.
17 days in August-September.
|
Clovers 1, 2, 3
|
Clouded Yellow
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
|
6 days in May-June.
30 days.
18 days in July-August.
|
Cocksfoot is a grass
|
Large Skipper
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg under leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
11 Months
3 weeks from May
|
Cow-wheat
(Common CowWheat, Field CowWheat)
|
Heath Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until end of August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats young leaves until June.
---
|
Hatches after 16 days in June.
June-April
25 days in June.
|
Currants
(Red Currant,
Black Currant and Gooseberry)
|
Comma
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
|
Devilsbit Scabious
|
Marsh Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until late August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats leaves until May.
---
|
Hatches after 20 days in July.
July-May.
15 days in May.
|
Dog Violet with
Common Dog Violet,
Heath Dog Violet and
Wood Dog Violet
|
Silver-washed Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on oak or pine tree trunk
Hibernates in a crevice in the bark of the tree trunk.
Moves out of tree to eat Dog Violet leaves.
On rock or twig.
|
15 days in July.
August-March.
March-May.
Late June-July
|
Dog Violet with
Common Dog Violet,
Heath Dog Violet and
Wood Dog Violet
|
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf or stem.
Feeds on leaves until July. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats young leaves until May.
---
|
Hatches after 15 days in May-June.
July-May.
9 days in June.
|
Dog Violet with
Common Dog Violet,
Heath Dog Violet and
Wood Dog Violet
|
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf or stem.
Feeds on leaves until July. Hibernates in dead leaves until March. Eats young leaves until April.
---
|
Hatches after 10 days in May-June.
June-April
April-June.
|
Dogwood
|
Holly Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of a flower bud on its stalk.
Eats flower bud.
---
|
7 days.
28-42 days.
18 days. Early September to Late April for second generation.
|
Elm and Wych Elm
|
Large Tortoiseshell
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches encircling the branch of the food plant.
Feeds on leaves.
Hangs suspended from stem.
|
Hatches after 18-22 days in April.
30 days in May.
9 days in June.
|
False Brome is a grass (Wood Brome, Wood False-brome and Slender False-brome)
|
Large Skipper
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg under leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
...
11 Months
3 weeks from May
|
Foxglove
|
Marsh Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until late August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats leaves until May.
---
|
Hatches after 20 days in July.
July-May
15 days in May.
|
Fyfield Pea
|
Wood White
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg laid on underside of leaflets or bracts.
Eats leaves.
---
|
7 days in June.
32 days in June-July.
July-May.
|
Garden Pansy
|
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf or stem.
Feeds on leaves until July. Hibernates in dead leaves until March. Eats young leaves until April.
---
|
Hatches after 10 days in May-June.
June-April
April-June.
|
Gorse
|
Holly Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of a flower bud on its stalk.
Eats flower bud.
---
|
7 days.
28-42 days.
18 days. Early September to Late April for second generation.
|
Heartsease
|
Queen of Spain Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg laid under the leaf or on top of the flower.
Eats leaves, then before pupating it eats the bloom and leaves of the pansies.
---
|
7 days in August.
23 days in August-September.
3 weeks in September
|
Hogs's Fennel
|
Swallowtail
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf. 5 or 6 eggs may be deposited by separate females on one leaf.
Eats leaves, and moves to stems of sedges or other fen plants before pupating.
---
|
14 days in July-August.
August-September.
September-May.
|
Holly
|
Holly Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of a flower bud on its stalk.
Eats flower bud.
---
|
7 days.
28-42 days.
18 days. Early September to Late April for second generation.
|
Honesty (Lunaria biennis)
|
Orange Tip
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg laid in the tight buds and flowers.
Eats leaves, buds, flowers and especially the seed pods.
---
|
May-June 7 days.
June-July 24 days.
August-May
|
Honeysuckle
|
Marsh Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until late August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats leaves until May.
---
|
Hatches after 20 days in July.
July-May.
15 days in May.
|
Hop
|
Comma
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
|
Horseshoe vetch
|
Adonis Blue
Chalk-Hill Blue
Berger's Clouded Yellow
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg under leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
1 egg at base of plant.
Eats leaves.
---
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
1 then
June-March or September to July
3 weeks.
Late August-April.
April-June
1 Month
8-10 days in Late May-June or Middle August-September
June-July or September to October
8-15 days
|
Ivy
|
Holly Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of a flower bud on its stalk.
Eats flower bud.
---
|
7 days.
28-42 days.
18 days. Early September to Late April for second generation.
|
Kidney Vetch
|
Chalk-Hill Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
Butterfly
|
1 egg at base of plant.
Eats leaves.
---
Eats nectar.
|
Late August-April.
April-June
1 Month
20 days
|
Lucerne
|
Pale Clouded Yellow
Clouded Yellow
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
10 days in May-June.
July-August.
17 days in August-September.
6 days in May-June.
30 days.
18 days in July-August.
|
Mallows
|
Painted Lady
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
2 weeks
7-11days
7-11 days
|
Melilot
|
Clouded Yellow
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
|
6 days in May-June.
30 days.
18 days in July-August.
|
Mignonettes
|
Small White
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
May-June and August. 7 days.
28 days
21 days for May-June eggs, or overwinter till March
|
Milk Parsley
|
Swallowtail
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf. 5 or 6 eggs may be deposited by separate females on one leaf.
Eats leaves, and moves to stems of sedges or other fen plants before pupating.
---
|
14 days in July-August.
August-September
September-May
|
Narrow-leaved Plantain (Ribwort Plantain)
|
Heath Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until end of August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats young leaves until June.
---
|
Hatches after 16 days in June.
June-April.
25 days in June.
|
Narrow-leaved Plantain (Ribwort Plantain)
|
Glanville Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until middle of August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats leaves until April-May.
---
|
Hatches after 16 days in June.
June-April.
25 days in April-May.
|
Nasturtium from Gardens
|
Small White
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
May-June and August. 7 days.
28 days.
21 days for May-June eggs, or overwinter till March
|
Oak Tree
|
Silver-washed Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on tree trunk
Hibernates in a crevice in the bark of the tree trunk.
Moves out of tree to eat Dog Violet leaves.
On rock or twig.
|
15 days in July.
August-March.
March-May.
Late June-July
|
Mountain pansy,
Seaside Pansy,
Field Pansy and Cultivated Pansy.
|
Queen of Spain Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg laid under the leaf or on top of the flower.
Eats leaves of borage, sainfoin and heartsease, then before pupating it eats the bloom and leaves of the pansies.
---
|
7 days in August.
23 days in August-September
3 weeks in September
|
Pine Tree
|
Silver-washed Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on tree trunk.
Hibernates in a crevice in the bark of the tree trunk.
Moves out of tree to eat Dog Violet leaves.
On rock or twig.
|
15 days in July.
August-March.
March-May.
Late June-July
|
Plantains
|
Marsh Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until late August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats leaves until May.
---
|
Hatches after 20 days in July.
July-May
15 days in May.
|
Poplar
|
Large Tortoiseshell
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches encircling the branch of the food plant.
Feeds on leaves.
Hangs suspended from stem.
|
Hatches after 18-22 days in April.
30 days in May.
9 days in June.
|
Restharrow
|
Common Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats buds and flowers.
Base of food plant.
|
-
-
Spend winter at the base of the food plant. They resume feeding in March.
2 weeks
|
Rock-rose
|
Brown Argus
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
|
1 egg under leaf.
Eats leaves.
|
|
Sainfoin
|
Queen of Spain Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg laid under the leaf or on top of the flower.
Eats leaves, then before pupating it eats the bloom and leaves of the pansies.
---
|
7 days in August.
23 days in August-September
3 weeks in September
|
Common Sallow (Willows, Osiers)
|
Large Tortoiseshell
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches encircling the branch of the food plant.
Feeds on leaves.
Hangs suspended from stem
|
Hatches after 18-22 days in April.
30 days in May.
9 days in June.
|
Sea Plantain
|
Glanville Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until middle of August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats leaves until April-May.
---
|
Hatches after 16 days in June.
June-April
25 days in April-May.
|
Snowberry
|
Holly Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of a flower bud on its stalk.
Eats flower bud.
---
|
7 days.
28-42 days.
18 days. Early September to Late April for second generation.
|
Spindle-tree
|
Holly Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of a flower bud on its stalk.
Eats flower bud.
---
|
7 days.
28-42 days.
18 days. Early September to Late April for second generation.
|
Stinging Nettle
|
Comma
Painted Lady
Peacock
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
Egg
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
Dense mass of 450-500 eggs on the under side of leaves over a 2 hour period.
Eats leaves, and moves to another plant before pupating.
---
|
2 weeks in June.
7-11 days.
7-11 days.
14 days in April-May.
28 days.
13days.
|
Storksbill
|
Brown Argus
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
|
1 egg under leaf.
Eats leaves.
|
|
Thistles
|
Painted Lady
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
2 weeks
7-11days
7-11 days
|
Trefoils 1, 2, 3
|
Clouded Yellow
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
|
6 days in May-June.
30 days.
18 days in July-August.
|
Vetches
|
Common Blue
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats buds and flowers.
Base of food plant.
|
-
-
Spend winter at the base of the food plant. They resume feeding in March.
2 weeks
|
Vetches
|
Wood White
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg laid on underside of leaflets or bracts.
Eats leaves.
---
|
7 days in June.
32 days in June-July.
July-May.
|
Violets:-
Common Dog Violet,
Hairy Violet,
Heath Dog-violet
Pale Dog violet
Sweet Violet
|
Dark Green Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on underside of leaf or on stalk.
Hibernates where it hatches.
Eats leaves.
Base of food plant.
|
July-August for 17 days.
Spends winter on plant until end of March. Eats leaves until end of May.
4 weeks.
|
Violets:-
Common Dog Violet,
Hairy Violet,
Heath Dog-violet
Pale Dog violet
Sweet Violet
|
High Brown Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on stem or stalk near plant base.
Feed on young leaves, stalks and stems
---
|
July to hatch in 8 months in March.
9 weeks ending in May.
4 weeks
|
Vipers Bugloss
|
Painted Lady
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
---
|
2 weeks.
7-11days.
7-11 days
|
Whitebeam
(White Beam)
|
Large Tortoiseshell
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches encircling the branch of the food plant.
Feeds on leaves.
Hangs suspended from stem.
|
Hatches after 18-22 days in April.
30 days in May.
9 days in June.
|
Wild Angelica
|
Swallowtail
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
1 egg on leaf. 5 or 6 eggs may be deposited by separate females on one leaf.
Eats leaves, and moves to stems of sedges or other fen plants before pupating.
---
|
14 days in July-August.
August-September.
September-May
|
Willow
(Bay Willow)
|
Large Tortoiseshell
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches encircling the branch of the food plant.
Feeds on leaves.
Hangs suspended from stem.
|
Hatches after 18-22 days in April.
30 days in May.
9 days in June.
|
Wood-Sage
|
Marsh Fritillary
|
Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
|
Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until late August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats leaves until May.
---
|
Hatches after 20 days in July.
July-May.
15 days in May.
|
Plants used by the Butterflies
|
Plant Name
|
Butterfly Name
|
Egg/ Caterpillar/ Chrysalis/ Butterfly
|
Plant Usage
|
Plant Usage Months
|
Asters
in gardens
|
Comma
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
|
Runner and Broad Beans in fields and gardens
|
Large White
Small White
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
April-June or July-September.
March-May or June-September
|
Aubretia in gardens
|
Clouded Yellow
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
May-June or August till killed by frost and damp in September-November
|
Birch
|
Holly Blue
|
Butterfly
|
Eats sap exuding from trunk.
|
April-Mid June and Mid July-Early September for second generation.
|
Common Birdsfoot Trefoil
|
Chalk-Hill Blue
Wood White
Marsh Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
20 days.
May-June.
30 days in May-June.
|
Bitter Vetch
|
Wood White
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
May-June
|
Bluebell
|
Holly Blue
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
April-Mid June and Mid July-Early September for second generation.
June.
June-August.
|
Bramble
|
Comma
Silver-washed Fritillary
High Brown Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
July-October.
7 weeks in July-August.
June-August
|
Buddleias
in gardens
|
Comma
Peacock
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
July-October.
July-May
|
Bugle
|
Wood White
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Heath Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
May-June.
June.
June-August.
June-July.
|
Cabbage and cabbages in fields
|
Large White
Small White
Green-veined White
Orange Tip
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
April-June or July-September.
March-May or June-September.
A Month during May-June or second flight in late July-August.
May-June for 18 days.
|
Charlock
|
Painted Lady
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
July-October
|
Clovers 1, 2, 3
|
Adonis Blue
Chalk-Hill Blue
Painted Lady
Peacock
Large White
Small White
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
1 Month during Mid-May to Mid-June or during August-September
20 days in August.
July-October.
July-May.
April-June or July-September.
March-May or June-September
|
Clovers 1, 2, 3
|
Pale Clouded Yellow
Clouded Yellow
Berger's Clouded Yellow
Queen of Spain Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
May-June or August till killed by frost and damp in September-November
May-June or August till killed by frost and damp in September-November.
1 Month in May-June or August till killed by frost and damp in September-November.
May-September.
|
Cow-wheat
(Common CowWheat, Field CowWheat)
|
Heath Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
June-July
|
Cuckoo Flower (Lady's Smock)
|
Wood White
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
May-June
|
Dandelion
|
Holly Blue
Marsh Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
April-Mid June and Mid July-Early September for second generation.
30 days in May-June.
|
Fleabanes
|
Common Blue
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
3 weeks between May and September
|
Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys - Birdseye Speedwell)
|
Heath Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
June-July
|
Greater Knapweed
|
Comma
Peacock
Clouded Yellow
Brimstone
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
July-October.
July-May.
May-June or August till killed by frost and damp in September-November.
12 months
|
Hawkbit
|
Marsh Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
30 days in May-June.
|
Heartsease
|
Queen of Spain Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
May-September
|
Hedge Parsley
|
Orange Tip
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
May-June for 18 days.
|
Hemp agrimony
|
Comma
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
July-October
|
Horseshoe vetch
|
Adonis Blue
Chalk-Hill Blue
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
1 Month.
20 days
|
Ivy
|
Painted Lady
Brimstone
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
Hibernates during winter months in its foliage.
|
July-October.
October-July
|
Lucerne
|
Painted Lady
Large White
Small White
Pale Clouded Yellow
Clouded Yellow
Berger's Clouded Yellow
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
July-October.
April-June or July-September.
March-May or June-September
May-June or August till killed by frost and damp in September-November.
May-June or August till killed by frost and damp in September-November.
1 Month in May-June or August till killed by frost and damp in September-November
|
Marigolds in gardens
|
Clouded Yellow
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
May-June or August till killed by frost and damp in September-November
|
Marjoram
|
Adonis Blue
Chalk-Hill Blue
Common Blue
Clouded Yellow
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
1 Month during Mid-May to Mid-June or during August-September.
20 days in August.
3 weeks in May-September.
May-June or August till killed by frost and damp in September-November
|
Michaelmas Daisies
in gardens
|
Comma
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
July-October
|
Mignonettes
|
Large White
Small White
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
April-June or July-September.
March-May or June-September
|
Narrow-leaved Plantain (Ribwort Plantain)
|
Heath Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
June-July
|
Nasturtiums in gardens
|
Large White
Small White
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
April-June or July-September
March-May or June-September
|
Oak Tree
|
Holly Blue
|
Butterfly
|
Eats sap exuding from trunk.
|
April-Mid June and Mid July-Early September for second generation.
|
Primroses
|
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
June.
June-August.
|
Ragged Robin
|
Wood White
Heath Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
May-June.
June-July.
|
Scabious
|
Painted Lady
Peacock
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
July-October.
July-May
|
Sedum
|
Peacock
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
July-May
|
Teasels
|
Silver-washed Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
7 weeks in July-August.
|
Thistles -
Creeping Thistle, Dwarf Thistle, Marsh Thistle, Meadow Thistle, Melancholy Thistle, Milk Thistle,
Musk Thistle, Seaside Thistle, Scotch Thistle, Spear Thistle, Tuberous Thistle, Welted Thistle, Woolly Thistle
|
Comma
Painted Lady
Peacock
Swallowtail
Clouded Yellow
Brimstone
Silver-washed Fritillary
High Brown Fritillary
Dark Green Fritillary
Queen of Spain Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
July-October.
July-October.
July-May.
May-July.
May-June or August till killed by frost and damp in September-November.
12 months.
7 weeks in July-August
June-August.
July-August for 6 weeks.
May-September.
June-August.
|
Thymes
|
Common Blue
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
3 weeks between May and September
|
Trefoils 1, 2, 3
|
Adonis Blue
Chalk-Hill Blue
Glanville Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
1 Month during Mid-May to Mid-June or during August-September
20 days in August.
June-July
|
Vetches
|
Chalk-Hill Blue
Glanville Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar.
|
20 days in August.
June-July.
|
Violets
|
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
June.
June-August.
|
Wood-Sage
|
Heath Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats nectar
|
June-July
|
Apple/Pear/Cherry/Plum Fruit Tree Blossom in Spring
|
Peacock
|
Butterfly
|
Eats Nectar
|
April-May
|
Rotten Fruit
|
Peacock
|
Butterfly
|
Drinks juice
|
July-September
|
Tree sap and damaged ripe fruit, which are high in sugar
|
Large Tortoiseshell
|
Butterfly
|
Hibernates inside hollow trees or outhouses until March. Eats sap or fruit juice until April.
|
10 months in June-April
|
Wild Flowers
|
Large Skipper
Brimstone
Silver-washed Fritillary.
Queen of Spain Fritillary
|
Butterfly
|
Eats Nectar
|
June-August
12 months.
7 weeks in July-August.
May-September
|
Links to the other Butterflies:-
Black Hairstreak uses Blackthorn, Privet, Guelder Rose, and Wayfaring tree
Brown Hairstreak uses Blackthorn, Bramble flowers and tops of Ash trees for males to congregate in
Camberwell Beauty It is not believed that it breeds in the UK, but butterflies swarm over from European Countries depending on the weather.
Chequered Skipper uses False Brome, Hairy Brome Grass, Bugle
I have detailed the use of plants by these eggs, caterpillars, chrysalis and butterfly in full with either photos of those butterflies, etc or illustrations from Sandars. It shows that they do use plants all year round and I will insert the information of their Life Histories into the remainder of the Butterfly Description Pages but I will put no further information in this table or the Butterfly Name with its use of plants table. Please see what a council did to destroy the native habitat, so that children could ride bicyles anywhere in the park in the row below.
Dingy Skipper
Duke of Burgundy
Essex Skipper
Gatekeeper
Grayling
Green Hairstreak
Grizzled Skipper
Hedge Brown
Large Blue
Large Heath
Long-tailed Blue
Lulworth Skipper
Marbled White
Mazarine Blue
Meadow Brown
Monarch
Northern Brown Argus
Purple Emperor
Purple Hairstreak
Red Admiral
Ringlet
Scotch Argus
Short-tailed Blue
Silver-spotted Skipper
Silver-studded Blue
Small Copper
Small Heath
Small Mountain Ringlet
Small Skipper
Small Tortoiseshell
Speckled Wood
Wall Brown
White Admiral
White-letter Hairstreak
Details of what plant is used by each of the different 'egg, caterpillar, chrysalis or butterfly' unit and for how long is given in the table on the left.
At least 2 of these butterflies live in America as well as in the UK in 2022:-
Carterocephalus palaemon (Chequered Skipper) - Arctic Skippering - a butterfly of America.
Papilio machaon machaon (Swallowtail) - Old World Swallowtail - a butterfly of America.
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The following is an excerpt from my Comments about the proposed destruction of the wildlife habitats at Cobtree Manor Park in the summer of 2010 from my Mission Statement page:-
"We would be sorry to lose the butterflies on the bluebells, bramble and ivy that would be restricted to only the very small area of proposed Wildlife Meadow by the Woods at the bottom of a hill with water springs on it. The wildlife is now being excluded from all the other areas by the "pruning", so that the nettles, brambles etc which had for instance the butterfly life cycle included; are now being ruthlessly removed to create a garden, not a park, with neat little areas."
When you look at the life history graphs of each of the 68 butterflies of Britain, you will see that they use plants throughout all 12 months - the information of what plant is used by the egg, caterpillar, chrysalis or butterfly is also given in the table on the left. With this proposed removal of all plants required for butterflies etc to live in and pro-create; at least once a year by the autumn or spring clearing up, you destroy the wildlife in this park as is done in every managed park in the world. Please leave something for the wildlife to live in without disturbance; rather than destroy everything so children can ride their bicycles anywhere they want when the park is open during the day and they are not at school.
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From the Ivydene Gardens Box to Crowberry Wild Flower Families Gallery:
Cornel Family
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The Bumblebee Pages website is divided into five major areas:
- • Bumblebees which deals solely with bumblebees, and was the original part of the site.
- • Invertebrates, which deals with all the other invertebrates.
- • Homework answers, where you'll find hints and tips to common questions set as biology, ecology, botany, zoology homework, there are also definitions of common terms in biology.
- • Window box gardens, this was started when we were exiled to central Paris, and 2 north-facing window boxes were all the garden available, however it was amazing the wildlife those window boxes attracted. You'll find plant lists, hints and tips, etc.
- • Torphins, this is the village in north-east Scotland where we are now located. In this part of the site you can find photographs of invertebrates found locally, where to see them and when, also links to pages with more detailed information.
FORCED INDOOR BULBS in Window Box Gardens.
Once these have flowered don't throw them out. Cut off the heads (unless you want seed) then put them somewhere that the leaves can get the sun. This will feed the bulb for the next year. Once the leaves have died you can plant the bulbs outside and they will flower at the normal (unforced) time next year. The narcissus Tete-a-tete is particularly good, and provides early colour and a delicate fragrance too.
Below I have listed groups of plants. I have tried to include at least four plants in each list as you may not be able to find all of them, although, unless you have a very large windowbox, I would recommend that you have just three in each box.
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Theme
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Plants
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Comments
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Thyme
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Thymus praecox, wild thyme
Thymus pulegioides
Thymus leucotrichus
Thymus citriodorus
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Thymes make a very fragrant, easy to care for windowbox, and an excellent choice for windy sites. The flower colour will be pinky/purple, and you can eat the leaves if your air is not too polluted. Try to get one variegated thyme to add a little colour when there are no flowers.
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Herb
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Sage, mint, chives, thyme, rosemary
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Get the plants from the herb section of the supermarket, so you can eat the leaves. Do not include basil as it need greater fertility than the others. Pot the rosemary up separately if it grows too large.
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Mints
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Mentha longifolia, horse mint
Mentha spicata, spear mint
Mentha pulgium, pennyroyal
Mentha piperita, peppermint
Mentha suaveolens, apple mint
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Mints are fairly fast growers, so you could start this box with seed. They are thugs, though, and will very soon be fighting for space. So you will either have to thin and cut back or else you will end up with one species - the strongest. The very best mint tea I ever had was in Marrakesh. A glass full of fresh mint was placed in front of me, and boiling water was poured into it. Then I was given a cube of sugar to hold between my teeth while I sipped the tea. Plant this box and you can have mint tea for months.
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Heather
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Too many to list
See Heather Shrub gallery
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For year-round colour try to plant varieties that flower at different times of year. Heather requires acid soils, so fertilise with an ericaceous fertilser, and plant in ericaceous compost. Cut back after flowering and remove the cuttings. It is best to buy plants as heather is slow growing.
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Blue
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Ajuga reptans, bugle
Endymion non-scriptus, bluebell
Myosotis spp., forget-me-not
Pentaglottis sempervirens, alkanet
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This will give you flowers from March till July. The bluebells should be bought as bulbs, as seed will take a few years to flower. The others can be started from seed.
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Yellow
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Anthyllis vulneraria, kidney vetch
Geum urbanum, wood avens
Lathryus pratensis, meadow vetchling
Linaria vulgaris, toadflax
Lotus corniculatus, birdsfoot trefoil
Primula vulgaris, primrose
Ranunculus acris, meadow buttercup
Ranunculus ficaria, lesser celandine
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These will give you flowers from May to October, and if you include the primrose, from February. Try to include a vetch as they can climb or trail so occupy the space that other plants can't. All can be grown from seed.
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White
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Trifolium repens, white clover
Bellis perennis, daisy
Digitalis purpurea alba, white foxglove
Alyssum maritimum
Redsea odorata, mignonette
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All can be grown from seed. The clover and daisy will have to be cut back as they will take over. The clover roots add nitrogen to the soil. The mignonette flower doesn't look very special, but the fragrance is wonderful, and the alyssum smells of honey.
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Pink
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Lychnis flos-cucli, ragged robin
Scabiosa columbaria, small scabious
Symphytum officinale, comfrey
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The comfrey will try to take over. Its leaves make an excellent fertiliser, and are very good on the compost heap, though windowbox gardeners rarely have one.
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Fragrant
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Lonicera spp., honeysuckle
Alyssum maritimum
Redsea odorata, mignonette
Lathyrus odoratus, sweet pea
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The sweet pea will need twine or something to climb up, so is suitable if you have sliding windows or window that open inwards. You will be rewarded by a fragrant curtain every time you open your window.
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Spring bulbs and late wildflowers
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Galanthus nivalis, snowdrop
Narcissus pseudonarcissus, narcissius
Crocus purpureus, crocus
Cyclamen spp.
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The idea of this box is to maximize your space. The bulbs (cyclamen has a corm) will flower and do their stuff early in the year. After flowering cut the heads off as you don't want them making seed, but leave the leaves as they fatten up the bulbs to store energy for next year. The foliage of the wildflowers will hide the bulb leaves to some extent. Then the wildflowers take over and flower till autumn
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Aster spp., Michaelmas daisy
Linaria vulgaris, toadflax
Lonicera spp., honeysuckle
Succisa pratensis, devil's bit scabious
Mentha pulgium, pennyroyal
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Butterfly Garden
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Bee Garden in Europe or North America
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Wildlife-friendly Show Gardens
With around 23 million gardens in the UK, covering 435,000 ha, gardens have great potential as wildlife habitats. And, with a bit of planning and a few tweaks, they can indeed be wonderful places for a whole host of creatures, from birds to bees, butterflies, frogs and toads, as well as many less obvious creatures. Wildlife-friendly gardens can be beautiful too, and a colourful garden full of life can lift the spirits and give immense pleasure, and can also help to connect people, both young and old, with our wonderful wildlife.
The eight-point plan for a wildlife-friendly garden
- • Plants, Plants, Plants - The greater the number and variety of plants, the more wildlife you will attract.
- • Don’t Just Plant Anything - British natives attract the greatest variety of wildlife, closely followed by species from temperate regions of Europe, Asia and North America.
- • Add Water - A pond of any size will boost the variety of creatures in your garden.
- • Dead Matters - Dead and decaying vegetation is a vital resource for many creatures.
- • Build a Home - Provide bird and bat boxes etc.
- • Feed the Birds And other creatures too.
- • Don’t Use Pesticides - All pesticides are designed to kill.
- • Don’t Put Wildlife in a Ghetto - Make your entire garden wildlife-friendly and a home for wildlife – it will be worth it!
Many of our gardens at Natural Surroundings demonstrate what you can do at home to encourage wildlife in your garden. Follow the links below to explore our show gardens, and when you visit, be sure to pick up a copy of our Wildlife Gardening Trail guide
- • The Wildlife Garden
- • The Rill Garden
- • The Orchard
- • The Butterfly Garden
- • The Bee Garden
- • The Wildlife Pond
- • Reptile Refuge
- • Creepy-crawly Garden
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Database of Insects and their Food Plants from the Biological Records Centre:-
This database is primarily a collation of published interactions between Great Britain 's invertebrate herbivores (insects and mites) and their host plants. There are also some interactions for the invertebrates closely associated with herbivores, such as predators, parasitoids, cleptoparasites and mutualists. DBIF contains about 47,000 interactions for roughly 9,300 invertebrate taxa (species, sub-species and forms) and 5,700 plant taxa (species, genera and broader groupings).
DBIF aims to help researchers access the accumulated knowledge of British plant-herbivore interactions, which is otherwise scattered throughout a vast published literature. The database complements the more specialised internet resources that focus on particular groups (see Links). We hope that the database is of use to professional researchers in the environmental sciences and expert amateurs alike.
DBIF is derived from the Phytophagous Insect Data Bank (see PIDB), which was the brainchild of Dr Lena Ward. Many people have contributed to the version of the database presented here; we would like to thank them all for their varied and skilled support (see Acknowledgements).
To ensure that the information held in the database is used appropriately, please take time to read about what the database contains (see Description of the database ), and what caveats or limitations may apply (see Interpreting foodplant records and Limitations ).
Lastly, DBIF is a work in progress and this website is still under development in some areas. We would be very surprised if you did not find some omissions, or nomenclature that did not need updating. Please alert us (see Contact us) of any necessary changes or of the presence of new sources. They will be incorporated in future updates.
A companion piece in the naturalists' magazine British Wildlife (Smith & Roy, 2008) serves as an introduction to invertebrate herbivory and DBIF.
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From the Ode to the London Plane Tree by Heather Greaves:-
"They are also very important to the city of New York (and not just because the leaf is the Parks Department logo). The London plane, usually considered Platanus x acerifolia but also known by other Latin epithets, is not really native, although it very closely resembles the native American sycamore, Platanus occidentalis. Actually, it is probably a cross between this American species and Platanus orientalis, a Eurasian relative. In any case, it has been widely planted as a city tree for decades, which turns out to be a good idea. In its assessment of the New York City urban forest, the US Forest Service Northern Research Station determined that the London plane is the most important city tree we have.
They base this conclusion on several factors. For one thing, London planes have a very high leaf area per tree; that is, the London plane gives us a lot more pretty, shady, air-filtering, evaporatively-cooling leaves per single trunk than most other species in the city. In fact, according to the Forest Service, London planes make up just 4% of the city tree population, but represent 14% of the city's total leaf area. (Compare this with the virulently invasive tree of heaven [Ailanthus altissima], which constitutes 9% of the tree population but only about 4% of the total leaf area.)
Also, because they tend to become very tall and have large canopies, London planes are our best trees for carbon storage and sequestration. They are holding on to about 185,000 tons of carbon (14% of the total urban tree carbon pool), and each year they sequester another 5,500 or so tons (about 13% of all the carbon sequestered by city trees each year). That makes them both gorgeous and highly beneficial: all in all, good trees to have around."
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From Sarah Ravens Kitchen & Garden:-
Wildflowers - Chalk and sand, freely-drained soil mix
A wonderfully varied self-sowing wild flower mix for thin, poor, chalky or sandy soils to give your garden or field flowers right through the year and food for the birds and bees.
To cover an area of 3m2
General Height: 60cm.
Sow: April- June
Spring into Summer Flowering
• Cowslip March – May
• Crosswort April - June
• Common Birdsfoot Trefoil May – July
• Kidney Vetch May – July
• Lady’s Bedstraw Late May – August
• Red Clover May – October
• Yellow Rattle May – July
• Meadow Buttercup May – July
• Wild Mignonette May – August
Summer into Autumn Flowering
• Field Scabious June – September
• Hedge Bedstraw June – August
• Viper’s Bugloss June – September
• Meadow Cranesbill June – September
• Greater Knapweed June – August
• Salad Burnet June – September
• Common Knapweed June – September
• Wild Carrot June – September
• Wild Marjoram July – September
From Sarah Ravens Kitchen & Garden:-
Wildflowers - Clay and rich loam soil mix
There are two main things I want from my wildflower meadow – to look beautiful for months not weeks, with flowers coming out and going over in succession AND to grow pollen-rich, insect friendly plants from EARLY in the year to LATE. I want my patch to be a regular and reliable food source for the birds and the bees. That’s what you’ll get with this beautiful selection of my favourite easy and reliable perennial wild flowers.
To cover an area of 3m2
General Height: 60cm.
Sow: April- June
Spring into Summer Flowering
• Cowslip March – May
• Common Birdsfoot Trefoil May – July
• Lady’s Bedstraw Late May – August
• Rough Hawksbit May – July
• Red Clover May – October
• Oxeye Daisy May – July
• Yellow Rattle May – July
• Meadow Buttercup May – July
Summer into Autumn Flowering
• Self Heal June – September
• Sorrel June – September
• Tufted Vetch June – September
• Common Knapweed June – September
• Common Toadflax July – October
• Musk Mallow July – October
• Ragged Robin July – September
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Flack Family Farm:-
", in the Vermont hills, is a biodynamic farm using organic practices. Natural minerals and planned grazing with American Milking Devon cattle rejuvenate the soil, sequester carbon and yield nutrient dense foods and medicines including milk, grass fed meats, eggs, fermented vegetables (sauerkraut and kimchi / kim-chi), and herbal tinctures. We offer educational opportunities, farm visits, and seminars on nutrition, growing and preparing nutrient dense food, diversified farming and fermentation.
AMERICAN MILKING DEVON, breeding stock, semen (shipped directly to you), bulls, bred cows, exclusively grass fed beef.
GRASS-FED BEEF and PORK are raised naturally on pasture and sold in farm shop and through bulk order.
LACTO-FERMENTED VEGETABLES, traditional foods are produced on farm and sold in Vermont natural food stores and in farm shop (no mail order). Workshops on the lacto-fermentation process available.
MEDICINAL HERBS are propagated, harvested and tinctured. For herbal list, which includes Motherwort above.
FARM FRESH RAW MILK available on farm, call to get on schedule. We do not feed grain. We test our cows for several milk quality components, details available on request.
EDUCATION THROUGH HANDS-ON LEARNING, DISCUSSIONS, AND PRACTICE are the core of farm life. Doug Flack and farm family share their knowledge through farm work opportunities, classes and farm tours. Raw Milk Theater
THE FARM IS SEASONAL IN NATURE. Grazing, milking, birthing, planting and harvesting take place from March - November."
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Edible Plants Club website
"has been created largely from the point of view of a plantsman interested in the many different resources available in the plant world, especially edible and medicinal plants.
What started me off on this path was reading Robert Harts book Forest Gardening and then Ken Fearns Plants for a Future and also Richard Mabeys 'Food For Free' along the way. This also led to me to change my career and become a gardener."
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'Sort out your soil' - A practical guide to Green Manures, and Frequently Asked Questions from the Receptionist Myrtle of Cotswold Grass Seeds.
See Table 10 in Brown Wildflower Note Map Page. British Floral Sources of Importance to Honey Bees from
Plants and Honey Bees
An Introduction to Their Relationships
by David Aston and Sally Bucknall.
Printed by Northern Bee Books.
First published 2004, Reprinted 2009. ISBN 0-393-30879-0
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Saltmarsh Management Manual from the Environment Agency informs you about:-
- What is Saltmarsh,
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- Why manage Saltmarsh and
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- Saltmarsh Management
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Helping Earth's Sustainable Management with a Plant
"Alternatives to the burning of fossil fuels, nuclear waste, deforestation and nitrate chemical fertilizers need to be developed. Hemp could have a vital role to play in the development of friendly alternatives.
Energy production
A report published by the FCDA of Europe outlines the Cannabis Biomass Energy Equation (CBEE), outlining a convincing case that hemp plants can be used to produce fuel energy CHEAPER per BtU than fossil fuels and uranium - WITHOUT PRODUCING GREENHOUSE GASES! Hemp plants have the highest known quantities of cellulose for annuals - with at least 4x (some suggest even 50-100x) the biomass potential of its closest rivals (cornstalks, sugarcane, kernaf and trees) (Omni, 1983). Biomass production still produces greenhouse gases, although the idea is that the excess of carbon dioxide will be used up by growing hemp plants - they are effective absorbers and thrive at high levels - Unlike fossil fuel energy which produces energy from plants which died millions of years ago.
On reading the report of the FCDA, Hon. Jonathon Porrit (ex-director of Friends of the Earth, currently on the Board of Forum for the Future) commented 'I DID enjoy reading it - the report should contribute much'. Three years later - authorities are still not taking the potential of this plant seriously. MAFF are currently engaging in supporting research into the biomass potential of poplar trees which they claim has the most scientific support for biomass energy production. H-E-M-P recommend use of the hemp plant if biomass energy production is to have any real impact in reducing carbon dioxide levels.
IT'S SO PRODUCTIVE! 1 acre of hemp = 1,000 gallons of methanol.
In fact, Henry Ford's first car ran on hemp-methanol! - and at just a fraction of the cost of petroleum alternatives. Alternatives to coal, fuel oil, acetone, ethyl, tar pitch and creosote can be derived - from this one single plant!
As regards depletion of the ozone layer - hemp actually withstands UV radiation. It absorbs UV light, whilst resisting damage to itself and providing protection for everything else.
Risk-free, pollution-free energy. No acid rain, and a reduction in airborne pollution of up to 80% ... There's further potential for the same in industry. "
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Suppliers of British native-origin seeds and plants:-
"Flora locale maintains a list of suppliers who should be able to supply seeds and/or plants of known British (and sometimes known local) native-origin. Although not all their stock will necessarily be of British native-origin, they should be able to provide details of provenance on request.
View Flora locale's list of suppliers - follow the "Suppliers of native flora" link.
You may also wish to view the Really Wild Flowers site, which contains a wealth of information about creating habitats and cultivating native species."
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British Native Plants List of Edible Plants:-
"I thought it would be useful to include native plant lists from different regions of the world. This list is from British Isles (including Ireland and the Channel Islands) and was compiled by Professor Clive Stace of the University of Leicester for the FFF conference on Native Plants held at the Linnean Society of London, June 1997. It can be found here at the postcode plants database."
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Plants for moths (including larval food plants and adult nectar sources) from Gardens for Wildlife - Practical advice on how to attract wildlife to your garden by Martin Walters as an Aura Garden Guide. Published in 2007 - ISBN 978 1905765041:-
Angelica - Angelica archangelica
Barberry - Berberis vulgaris
Birch - Betula species
Blackthorn - Prunus spinosa
Bramble - Rubus species
Centaury - Centaurium species
Common knapweed - Centaurea nigra
Cowslip - Primula veris
Dandelion - Taraxacum offcinale
Dock - Rumex species
Evening primrose - Oenothera species
Foxglove - Digitalis purpurea
Goldenrod - Solidago canadensis and Solidago virgaurea
Harebell - Campanula rotundifolia
Heather - Calluna vulgaris
Hedge woundwort - Stachys sylvatica
Herb Bennet (wood avens) - Geum urbanum
Herb Robert - Geranium robertianum
Honeysuckle - Lonicera periclymenum
Lady' Bedstraw - Galium verum
Lemon balm - Melissa officinalis
Lime - Tilia species
Maiden pink - Dianthus deltoides
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Marjoram - Origanum officinale
Meadow clary - Salvia pratensis
Meadowsweet - Filipendula ulmaria
Mullein - Verbascum species
Nettle - Urtica dioica and Urtica urens
Oak - Quercus robur and Quercus petraea
Ox-eye daisy - Leucanthemum vulgare
Plantain - Plantago species
Poplar (and aspen) - Populus species
Primrose - Primula vulgaris
Purple loosestrife - Lythrum salicaria
Ragged robin - Lychnis flos-cuculi
Red campion - Silene dioica
Red clover - Trifolium pratense
Red valerian - Centranthus ruber
Rock rose - Helianthemum species
Sea kale - Crambe maritima
Sweet rocket - Hesperis matronalis
Toadflax - Linaria species
Tobacco - Nicotiana species
Traveller's joy - Clematis vitalba
Viper's bugloss - Echium vulgare
White campion - Silene alba
Wild pansy - Viola tricolor
Willow - Salix species
Yarrow - Achillea millefolium
and a chapter on Planning the Wildlife Garden.
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The following information (5 December 2021) comes from Wikipedia about Southern Water Services Ltd, which had a revenue of £0.829 billion in 2017-18. Area served by Southern Water is Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Sussex and Kent.
"Legal issues[edit]
2005-2007[edit]
In 2007, Ofwat announced its intention to fine Southern Water £20.3 million for 'deliberate misreporting' and failing to meet guaranteed standards of service to customers. The misreporting resulted in Southern Water being able to raise its prices by more than it should have done.[11] Southern Water Chief Executive Les Dawson said: "Today's announcement draws a line under a shameful period in the company's history" and "we accept this fine - we have no arguments with it".[12]
2009-2011[edit]
Crawley Magistrates' Court heard that the Environment Agency received calls from members of the public after dead fish were seen in the Sunnyside Stream in East Grinstead on 30 August 2009. The court also heard that a similar incident occurred along the same sewer line some 4 years earlier in September 2005.[13] Following an investigation, in June 2010 Southern Water was fined £3,000 after it admitted polluting 2 km of the Sussex stream with raw sewage, killing up to a hundred brown trout and devastating the fish population for the second time in five years.
In 2011 Southern Water Ltd was fined £25,000 when sewage flooded into Southampton water.
The company was ordered to pay £10,000 in fines and costs after sewage seeped into a stream at Beltinge in Kent.
A leak of sewage from Southern Water's plant at Hurstpierpoint pumping station, West Sussex, lead to fines and costs of £7,200 in 2011.[14]
Southern Water was fined £50,000 in April 2011 for two offences relating to unscreened discharges into Langstone Harbour, Hampshire, between November 2009 and April 2010.
2014-2016[edit]
In November 2014 Southern Water were fined £500,000 and agreed to pay costs of £19,224 at Canterbury Crown Court after an Environment Agency investigation found that untreated sewage was discharged into the Swalecliffe Brook, polluting a 1.2 km stretch of the watercourse and killing local wildlife.[15] Although sewage directly polluted a 1.2 km stretch, the Swalecliffe Brook flows through the Thanet Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) before it joins the north Kent coast to the east of Whitstable.
In December 2016 Southern Water was fined a record £2,000,000 for flooding beaches in Kent with raw sewage. As a result of a series of failures at a wastewater pumping station, raw sewage flooded on to beaches, forcing Thanet district council to close the beaches to the public for nine days including during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee bank holiday weekend.[16] The Environment Agency called the event “catastrophic”, with tampons, condoms and other debris costing more than £400,000 to clean up. The Environment Agency said that the discharge along a considerable length of coastline, resulted in a risk to public health and negative impact in an area heavily reliant on the tourism industry. A judge at Maidstone crown court said that Southern Water’s repeat offending was “wholly unacceptable”. Following the investigation, Southern Water director Simon Oates apologised unreservedly for the failure of the wastewater plant.[17]
2019[edit]
In June 2019, the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) announced its intentions to issue Southern Water with a financial penalty of £37.7 million reduced exceptionally to £3 million for significant breaches of its licence conditions and statutory duties.[18] Following a lengthy investigation, Ofwat concluded that Southern Water deliberately misreported data about the performance of its wastewater treatment works. The investigation concluded that Southern Water had failed: to have adequate systems of planning, governance and internal controls in place to manage its wastewater treatment works; to accurately report information about the performance of these works; and to properly carry out its statutory duties as a sewerage undertaker, to make provision for effectually dealing with and treating wastewater. Ofwat found that Southern Water's failure to operate its wastewater treatment works properly resulted in unpermitted and premature spills of wastewater from its treatment works, with wastewater being released into the environment before going through the required processes.
Following the investigation, Southern Water agreed to pay customers approximately £123 million by 2024, partly a payment of price review underperformance penalties the company avoided paying in the period 2010 to 2017 and some of which is a payment to customers for the failures found in Ofwat's investigation. In response to Ofwat's findings, Southern Water announced that following its own internal review, which highlighted multiple failures between 2010 and 2017, it was 'profoundly sorry' and 'working very hard to understand past failings and implement the changes required' to ensure it meets the standards its customers deserve.[19]
2021[edit]
In 2020, Southern Water pleaded guilty to 51 offences related to polluting the water on the coasts of Kent and Sussex with untreated sewage between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2015.[20] It was described as "the worst case brought by the Environment Agency in its history." Over the period, the company made 8,400 illegal discharges of raw sewage into coastal waters. It also allowed storm tanks to be kept full and turn septic, instead of putting their contents through the required treatment process. In one plant alone, 746m litres were released into Southampton Water. Southern Water failed to report its illegal discharges to the regulator, but as the quality of shellfish on the Kent cost failed to meet quality standards due to the high levels of faecal contamination the Environment Agency began to investigate.[21][5] The company was fined £90m for deliberately dumping billions of litres of raw sewage into the sea and the judge stated that the offences had been committed deliberately by Southern Water's directors.[6"
How can a government allow a business to carry on when it is damaging the health of its population? and when it does not bother to correct the problem but its directors keep on committing the offences? Is that because the fines do not matter to the company who continue to commit offences and the government turns the other cheek.
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