PAY OFF

For the last few years I've deliberately grown two large patches of Nettles, one under a Buddleia and another around a old Escallonia following the opinion that doing so will encourage the Butterflies that eat the foliage and lay their eggs on them. I often regretted doing so, [temporarily], when I've been pruning in the area and got stung. But yesterday, as it was warm and sunny, I decided to walk down to the pond and then walk along the rear path to check on that area. As I walked around a Viburnum that's got a bit over grown I walked into a cloud of Butterflies which amazed me as they've not exactly been plentiful this year.
They were all on a White Buddleia, or so I thought at first. I did a count as best as I could and counted between 40 and 50 of them. I noticed that they nearly all seemed to be Peacocks, with some Small Borders, Fritillary's and Cabbages Whites. I have never had so many Butterflies in one place and it was such a fantastic sight. I haven't managed to capture all of them in one pic but they wouldn't keep still!!!!














I had to dash back to get the camera but still didn't manage to do justice to how many there were. Then I noticed that, actually, there were Peacock Butterflies on the borders in numbers I've not seen before. It made my day, and makes me think that the patch of Nettles served their purpose, being under the Buddleia, of being a food and egg laying plant for the Butterflies. Made get stung so many times worth while

 

I was stunned but excited when I saw the Butterflies just fly up in a cloud. I've been quietly worried by the lack of Butterflies, Bees and Hoverflies over the last few months. The Bees came back in numbers a couple of months ago and the Hoverflies are back up to normal. I do think the Nettles have done their job but they do get a bit invasive if you don't pull them out [with gloves etc] when they try to get out of bounds. I shan't forget seeing those Butterflies for a long time

 

Brilliant