Top tips from experts to help butterflies – and nature
With lighter evenings and trees in full blossom, it’s clear that summer is well on its way!
The good weather means experts are encouraging us all to get our gardens ready for the Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count.
Last year saw the charity declared an emergency for the insects. As such, it’s now providing us with a set of ‘top tips’ to help create a wildlife-friendly garden!
The Big Butterfly Count is set to run from July 18 to August 10. It encourages everyone in the UK to put aside a bit of time to count the number of butterflies in a set area.
Research shows that 80% of butterflies have declined since the 1970s and the Big Butterfly Count is a quick and easy way for people to take action for their survival.
‘Following last summer’s Big Butterfly Count results, which showed a significant decline in the number of butterflies participants observed, we need everyone to get involved this year,’ says Dr Richard Fox, Head of Science at Butterfly Conservation.
‘Will butterflies bounce back or will their populations continue to decline following a terrible year in 2024?’
‘Your counts will help to give us a clear picture and anything you can do to make your garden more butterfly-friendly increases the chances of butterflies surviving, and your chances of seeing them in your garden.’
Supporting wildlife in your garden
Creating a garden that supports wildlife doesn’t have to mean a messy, overgrown space. By making mindful choices, you can create a beautiful garden, terrace or balcony – and make a positive impact on pollinators like butterflies and moths.
The charity’s provided five simple steps which we can all do to help. Firstly, it’s asking us to be ‘a grower, not a mower.’ It says letting our grass grow is great for the environment as long grass provides a rich habitat for insects.
Letting the grass grow allows some species of butterflies and moths to complete their lifecycle by providing a place to lay eggs and food for caterpillars.
It can also allow nectar-rich plants like clover, bluebells, and dandelions to bloom. It adds that if you’re not keen on an unmown lawn then to, perhaps, consider ‘a more structured approach.’
It says that mowing a curvy path through an area of long grass, or sow a mini wildflower meadow, can help boost butterfly populations through a designated patch that allows wildlife to flourish. It adds that simple changes create a vibrant, wildlife-friendly space.
The team is also looking for us to make our gardens a ‘stepping stone for wildlife.’ It says that choosing plants that attract wildlife is a good way for us to provide nectar and pollen for insects.
They add that plants like: buddleia, verbena, lavender, and marjoram provide nectar throughout the butterfly season.
Colourful planted pots can look beautiful in patio gardens and on balconies as well as provide a resting place and sustenance for butterflies. With the right plants butterflies might even make your garden their permanent home!
Avoiding pesticides and insecticides
The charity is keen for us to avoid pesticides and insecticides as they harm beneficial insects.
It says organic methods, such as companion planting, are a great alternative. It gives an example of planting basil near tomatoes to repel aphids and adds that nasturtiums are good at attracting beneficial insects and deter pests.
By carefully selecting plants, it says we can create a healthy, chemical-free ecosystem in your garden.
Garden maintenance and composting
Its’ fourth piece of guidance is to ‘deadhead’ flowers: by simply removing them then we can encourage plants to continue blooming which will provide a longer food source for pollinators.
Plants like buddleia, lavender, and cosmos benefit from regular deadheading and will keep your garden alive with butterflies through the summer.
Its final piece of advice is to avoid peat based composts as peat bogs are critical habitats for many native species, including the Large Heath butterfly.
The charity explains that the UK’s peat bogs have formed over thousands of years – but the sourcing of peat isn’t inexhaustible.
It adds that peat extraction is a major threat to these delicate ecosystems and says we can make a big difference by switching to peat-free composts which are made from composted bark, coir or wood fibre.
It adds we can make our own eco-friendly alternative compost from vegetable scraps, grass clippings and coffee grounds.
Experts say these simple, thoughtful actions will allow us to create a beautiful, butterfly-friendly garden that supports wildlife all year round.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, these tips will help you contribute to the well-being of pollinators and enjoy the beauty of butterflies on your own doorstep.
