This summer has been terrible for butterflies.The cool damp weather has had a disastrous effect on their breeding resulting in fewer butterflies in our gardens.Those that have survived need your help!The Tortoiseshell shown in the picture is one of our most common butterflies.It breeds twice a year in the spring and autumn, but hibernates from October to March often in houses and garden sheds.If you find one hibernating do not disturb it.Butterflies feed on nectar produced by flowers, and in the autumn they need a good feed to sustain them before hibernation.You can help butterflies survive by growing flowers that produce lots of nectar in your garden at home or school.The Stonecrop or Ice Plant (also shown in the picture) is such a plant and is especially good as it flowers in the autumn when most other plants have finshed flowering. Butterflies 'love' the Ice plant and I have seen Ice Plants absolutely covered in butterflies,bees and hoverflies enjoying the nectar.So get planting,they are easy to grow,just divide clumps and stick them in the ground in a sunny spot.Lastly I do like the local welsh name for butterflies......Pilli pala.
