See these popular butterflies from July onwards, right through to November. Red Admiral Butterflies can often be seen nectaring on Buddleja plants, or the flowers of mature ivy.
Male Orange-Tip butterflies have the distinctive orange markings that are their namesake. The females however have black wingtips instead.
These stunning butterflies use their distinctive markings to trick predators. When closed, their wings blend in seamlessly with the brown-greys of dead leaves and twigs. But when threatened, they can open their wings to reveal a huge set of eye-like prints and bright colours to warn potential assailants.
The Small Tortoiseshell butterfly is often seen in urban areas, but also likes to visit gardens and parks. It is often one of the first butterflies seen in spring.
Don’t forget the moths! The Cinnabar moth is named for its striking coloration. This moth can fly both in the daytime and at night, and will explore wasteland, railway banks, gardens and woodlands looking for nectar-rich flowers.
Purple emperor butterflies are known as “His Majesty” by butterfly enthusiasts. Their bright blue wings with white spots are striking and regal! Purple Emperor butterflies spend most of their time in the tree-tops, where they feed on honeydew made by aphids, and on tree sap. The best time to spot them is mid-morning, when the males descend to look for a salty snack by licking the road surfaces.
Honey bees are famous for their tasty honey, which they make as an energy reserve for winter when there are few flowers around to support the hive. Honey bees live in large numbers together, and in a hive all the bees will be sisters, coming from the same queen. If you plant enough flowers, you’ll get to see the famous honeybee dance, a happy wiggling flight pattern that signals to other bees that the food is good here!
Garden bumblebees are large, slightly scruffy looking bees with white tails. They nest in colonies of up to 100 workers, serving a queen. Garden bumblebees have a very long tongue (as long as their own body!), which allows them to feed from flowers such as foxgloves and honeysuckles.
Red Tailed Bumblebees can be found all over the UK, easily recognisable by their bright orange-red bottoms. They are non-aggressive, but will fly around the heads of people who get too close to their nest!
These extremely fluffy ginger bees emerge early in the spring, and feed on flowers right through to November. They make their homes in old birds’ nests, holes in trees and in mossy patches in lawns.They live together in nests containing up to 200 bees. The queen reigns for a year and then dies, leaving behind a new hibernating princess, ready to take the throne in the spring and rebuild the colony.
Red Mason bees are solitary bees that excel in making their homes in old buildings, holes in cliffs and hollow plant stems. They are often seen in March and June, feeding on nectar and pollen from wild and garden flowers.
Ashy Mining bees live in tiny one-bee apartments in the ground. After a day of foraging, or to protect themselves from rain, they retreat into their burrows and close off the entrance behind them for protection. A miniature mound of earth like a tiny volcano is often an indicator of a burrow entrance.
Ants live in sophisticated societies where they farm aphids for honeydew, build nest infrastructure, nurse the new generation and store food. In early summer, hundreds of
thousands of ants take to the sky all at once for the annual winged Nuptial Flight. After finding a mate, female winged ants will stumble around on the ground looking for a place to start their new empire.
Lacewings are beloved by gardeners because they have a voracious appetite for aphids. Larvaesuck the water out of aphids like a juice-box, and adults eat aphids, small pests and flower nectar.
Earthworms improve soil by digging air channels, and by eating decaying organic matter. This creates better aerated, nutritious soil without needing to reach for a spade!
Froghoppers are small, brown insects that eat plant sap and young leaves. Their larvae create a froth known as “cuckoo spit” on plant stems, which protects the babies beneath.
Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
Maidstone Road
Sidcup
Kent
DA14 5BQ
