How to save and to attract more butterflies in Butterfly Conservation Week.

How to save and attract more butterflies into your garden and land in Butterfly Conservation Week. This week is officially “Save our Butterflies week” 24th July- 1st August. So why not get involved?

I was listening to Mike Mullis, our local butterfly expert talking on Radio 4 this morning about our coppice woodlands in East Sussex, where they have successfully managed to conserve and protect populations of the rare Pearl Bordered Fritillary butterfly. They have managed this through captive breeding programmes and through re introduction of coppice woodland management. This has encouraged the growth of Dog Violet; the food plant of this rare butterfly. Mike has been involved in rearing Pearl Bordered Fritillary butterly larvae and re introducing them into the coppice woodlands, which is their preferred habitat. It is great news that his work is being so successful.

If you like butterflies, why not create an area in your garden for them to thrive? A sunny sheltered spot is ideal and remember to provide lots of their food plants for the butterfly larvae as well as lots of plants rich in nectar for the butterflies later. (see our previous blogs) or, email us with your inquiries at charmaine@landvision.co.uk and we will advise you.

Why not start visiting some butterfly habitats near you and try to spot some new butterflies?
If you spend 15 minutes in a sunny spot in your garden or local park, just watching and counting butterflies, you will learn which ones occur locally and also what their preferred habitats are.

You can try to encourage butterflies into your gardens and land, through small changes in planting and by sensitive landscape management with butterflies in mind. These changes to habitat management,by re introducing coppicing cycles into your small woodlands and by adding sunny,sheltered woodland rides and glades on your land, will really boost your local butterfly population. Why not start by leaving rougher areas of tall herbs/ long grass at the base of your hedges or by creating new areas of wildflower meadow grassland which will also encourage a much greater variety of butterflies on your land?

Butterfly Conservation week runs from 24th July - 1st August 2010. At a time when 7 out of 10 butterflies are in decline, this is an excellent time to start getting involved.

“What is the single most important thing we could do that is “Green” ?

“What is the single most important thing we could do to be “Green”?


I was reading the Green group comments on Linkedd in;
the question was asking for ideas on the single thing that each of us can do to help the planet?
Great question, but what is the best answer? Recycling? Growing your own food? Community action?

Well, I like this one;

“Develop the art of reflection. Ask yourself who am I? What am I doing here? What is important to me? What is my impact on others?
Keep asking yourself this every day.
When we discover who we truly are for ourselves and for others our perspectives change considerably. When you realise what is most important are relationships and community...your footprint on the planet will reduce naturally.”
(Dave Harvey)

Mostly we don't question our motives for our activities enough, if at all, or only very infrequently.
We just get sucked into doing things that maybe we simply don't need to do. We may find ourselves doing them just because it is expected of us, because everyone else is doing them and on it goes.

My father used to say; “If everyone went and jumped in the lake, would you follow them? No?So, don't just follow everyone, do your own thing.”

I would like to add my thought and comment here which was;
“Act now, whatever you do, start it today. Don't delay.”

Goethe said,
“Whatever you dream of doing, begin it now.” That boldness and action towards dreams has magic, genius and power in it.

So, whatever it is you can do, try to begin it, today.