Nature
cycles fall out of sync with the plants that caterpillars depend on for food. So, what can we do to help
butterfl ies fl ourish for the long term? Some butterfl ies require specialised
habitats, such as chalk downland or coppiced woodland, and are therefore unlikely to be spotted in gardens. However, the species most
likely to be found in gardens include Red Admiral, Peacock, Brimstone, Painted Lady, Comma, Green-veined White, Small Tortoiseshell, Small Cabbage White and Large Cabbage White. And, according to Dr Bulman,
encouraging their habitats in our own gardens is quite simple to achieve:
• Grow nectar rich plants such as Aubretia, Lavender, Honeysuckle, Vebena or Marjoram in warm sunny spots to attract butterfl ies and other insects to feed.
• Leave a patch of grass to grow long and allow wildfl owers or nettles, which can act as a key food source for growing caterpillars.
The Big Butterfly Count takes place between 17 July and 9 August. The campaign simply asks everyone to spend 15 minutes in an outdoor space recording how many butterflies they can see. The data helps map important population trends across the UK. Go to
bigbutterflycount.org to fi nd out more.
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• Keep plants fl owering throughout the summer by deadheading them regularly.
• Don’t use insecticides or pesticides as they kill pollinating insects.
• Use peat-free compost – peat bogs are home to many special animals and plants, including the Large Heath butterfl y.
• Join Butterfl y Conservation’s citizen science campaigns and make your own contribution to conservation!
A TROPICAL PARADISE
Here at Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, we’ve been taking good care of our family of exotic and tropical creatures during lockdown.
This summer (from 4 July), take a wild walk through our Tropical House and meet our Argentine black and white tegu, Sulcata tortoises, boa constrictor and crocodiles. All the while our beautiful tropical birds will fly around you!
Our Butterfly House will provide a tropical walk-through where you will be able to navigate the pathways in search of some of our more unusual animals, such as the giant train millipedes with up to 200 pairs of legs, our giant thorny stick insect which loves to disguise itself, and our huge African land snails.
The butterflies will be back later.
www.jimmysfarm.com
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