Today I did another of my 15 minute counts for the Big Butterfly Count
I have already done three elsewhere in the wood and meadow but today I counted in the garden.
From the website
The big butterfly count is a nationwide survey aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment. It was launched in 2010 and has rapidly become the world's biggest survey of butterflies. Almost 27,000 people took part in 2012, counting 223,000 individual butterflies and day-flying moths across the UK
Butterflies react very quickly to change in their environment which makes them excellent biodiversity indicators. Butterfly declines are an early warning for other wildlife losses.
That’s why counting butterflies can be described as taking the pulse of nature.
The count will also assist us in identifying trends in species that will help us plan how to protect butterflies from extinction, as well as understand the effect of climate change on wildlife.
How to take part
Simply count butterflies for 15 minutes during bright (preferably sunny) weather during the big butterfly count. We have chosen this time of year because most butterflies are at the adult stage of their life cycle, so more likely to be seen. Records are welcome from anywhere: from parks, school grounds and gardens, to fields and forests.
If you are counting from a fixed position in your garden, count the maximum number of each species that you can see at a single time. For example, if you see three Red Admirals together on a buddleia bush then record it as 3, but if you only see one at a time then record it as 1 (even if you saw one on several occasions) – this is so that you don’t count the same butterfly more than once . If you are doing your count on a walk, then simply total up the number of each butterfly species that you see during the 15 minutes.I did today's count on the butterfly/bee bed under the washing line. It is a strip about 6 feet long and 2 foot wide crammed with oregano, mint and borage plants.
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I lay on the grass ( so as to take better pictures) and in 15 minutes I saw (at one glance)
Large Cabbage White 8
Small Cabbage White 9
Comma 5
Peacock 3
Small Tortoiseshell 4
Red Admiral 2
and I saw 22 of these little beauties all at once! They are Gatekeeper butterflies
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and I saw so many bumblebees!
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The oregano, mint and borage flowers were humming with them. I cannot describe adequately the scent and the sound of so many bees humming away in the sunshine on the warmed herb flowers.
I am truly blessed to live here and see these sights.
Anyone else joining in with this? What have you seen?
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No, I haven't joined in mainly because I mostly have cabbage whites in my garden. Think I have seen I Tortoiseshell? and 1 Peacock!
ReplyDeleteI think they still want to know, even if that is all you see :-)
DeleteI cannot possibly count all the butterflies and bees on my giant butterfly bush - it's swarming! but it's absolutely beautiful and I felt very blessed indeed on my Lammas to see the butterflies in such numbers.
ReplyDeleteI have several buddlia bushes where I have yet to count but mine, too are swarming with butterflies and bees :-)
DeleteI have planted lavender for two years in a row. Right before it blossoms, and usually during the bloom, our plants are covered with beautiful bees humming away. It's just awesome. We have one butterfly bush and it draws such lovely creatures too.
ReplyDeleteLavender, Buddlia and oregano seem the most attractive plants for both bees and butterflies :) Our garden is full of them :)
DeleteI too joined in the Big Butterfly Count my 15 minutes were in a neglected orchard
ReplyDeleteI loooked at your site and the orchard is lovely :)
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