"The Chronicles of a Country Parish" - A village appraisal of Sulgrave published in 1995

BUTTERFLIES
(Back to Chapter 4 Index)

A short, and very local, survey within the parish of Sulgrave was concentrated in two main areas - in gardens within the village centre, and in an open area of disused railway, with patches of scrub and some maturing trees, about half a mile away. There were also some occasional observations in shady wooded areas surrounding village ponds.

Modern agricultural practices, with a great reduction in the numbers of wild flowers and grasses, the removal of hedgerows and so on, have brought about a reduction also in the numbers of butterflies. These attractive insects tend to thrive in warm, sunny, shelterd spots where there is a good range of appropriate food-plants. Nowadays, therefore, they rely more and more on gardens to provide these conditions, but there are still places here and there which are not intensively cultivated and where the vegetation grows unsprayed.

By far the most important of these in our parish is the former Great Central Line, where during the last thirty-five years or more trees and shrubs have sprung up to offer wind-shelter and where wild flowers flourish. A walk here on a warm sunny day in summer can be very rewarding to the butterfly watcher.

However, it is possible to see a reasonably wide variety of butterflies in one's own garden, especially if one grows those plants which provide plenty of nectar. These are not necessarily those which are the showiest - roses, for example, have little to offer, whereas lavendar is excellent. Among herbaceous plants, wallflowers, sweet williams, pale pink sedums, phlox and michaelmas daisies will attrat butterflies. A special "butterfly garden" containing suitable wild flowers - knapweeds, cowslips, meadowsweet, ox-eye daisies and many others, perhaps even with brambles and nettles (pernicious weeds to some of us, but loved by many butterflies) could give you a valid excuse for not weeding that remote corner.

In the average garden it should be possible to record at least ten or a dozen different species in the course of a season, starting with the bright yellow male Brimstone in March, then the Large White, Small White, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Orange Tip, and the Red Admiral (especially commonly seen on rotting apples in September); and with occasional visits from Meadow Brown, or Speckled Wood, or Common Blue, or Comma. As butterflies migrate considerable distances, rarities may sometimes be seen, so it pays to keep one's eyes open.

SURVEY OF BUTTERFLIES - SULGRAVE - SUMMER 1992

LOCATION   Garden Railway Pond
Commonly seen:        
Large white (Pieris brassicae) * *  
Small white (Artogeia rapae) * *  
Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) *    
Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta) *    
Peacock (Inachis io) *    
Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) * *  
Orage tip (Anthocharis cardamines) *   *
Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina) *    
Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)      
Small copper (Lycaena phlaeas)      
Large heath (Coenonympha tillia)      
Small heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)      
Common blue (Polyommatus icarus) * *  
Occasionally seen:        
Large tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychlorus) *    
Comma (Polygonia c-album) *    
Painted lady (Cynthia cardui) *    
Speckled wood (Pararge aegaria) *    
Marbled white (Melanargia galathea) *    
Green veined white (Artogeia napi) *   *
Grizzled skipper (Pyrgus malvae) *    
Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)     *

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