Conserve Existing Nectar Plants
In many areas of the country, it is not just the specific caterpillar foodplants that are in short supply, but even non-specific nectar-producing flowers, exotic as well as native. This sorry state of affairs makes it important to identify and keep what we already have.
The odds are that unless you suffer from a bad case of block paving, you will have some valuable nectar plants in your greenspace or garden already. Don’t overlook the seemingly mundane. Take bramble flowers for instance. Because they grow almost anywhere, looking at the country as a whole, they are one of the most important sources of nectar for butterflies and other insects.
If you don’t have wild bramble in your garden at the moment and don’t want to plant it, go for some of the higher yielding commercial blackberry and raspberry varieties. That way, while providing the butterflies with nectar you can take advantage of their pollinating services to provide yourself with juicy fruit. There are even ‘thornless’ varieties, though it might be argued that these provide less protection to invertebrates from collateral damage due to herbivores, but if you don't have any rabbits or deer in your garden it doesn't matter anyway.
It may be hard to believe, looking at the restrained, closely clipped hedges that surround so many front gardens, that privet flowers are a great source of nectar. But privet has to be allowed to flower, so give at least part of your hedge free reign, cut down on the cutting and allow at least the garden side of it to provide nectar for the butterflies.
Dandelions too are an excellent source of nectar, one of the highest yielders of all, and they flower early in the year ready for insects waking from hibernation, so avoid the temptation to pull these up from between the paving slabs. Pull up the paving slabs instead! Dandelion lookalikes like Cat’s-ear and the hawkbits are similarly high nectar yielders.
Dandelions too are an excellent source of nectar, one of the highest yielders of all, and they flower early in the year ready for insects waking from hibernation, so avoid the temptation to pull these up from between the paving slabs. Pull up the paving slabs instead! Dandelion lookalikes like Cat’s-ear and the hawkbits are similarly high nectar yielders.
Thistles of all varieties with their beautifully coloured flowers, extremely high levels of nectar, and wealth of associated insects should be welcome in any garden, especially Scottish ones. It is the Emblem of Scotland after all and could become the Emblem of Scottish biodiversity.
Okay they are prickly but so is Holly, and exotics like Pyracantha produce not just prickles but real stem-derived stabbing thorns, but this rarely seems to act as a deterrent to growing them.
Ready sources of nectar are important for butterflies and bees emerging in early spring, so early flowering plants like native bluebells, primroses and dandelions are always worth encouraging.
Okay they are prickly but so is Holly, and exotics like Pyracantha produce not just prickles but real stem-derived stabbing thorns, but this rarely seems to act as a deterrent to growing them.
Ready sources of nectar are important for butterflies and bees emerging in early spring, so early flowering plants like native bluebells, primroses and dandelions are always worth encouraging.
Fruit Tree Blossom
Apples, pears, any fruit trees you have in your garden will be especially valuable as they provide an early source of nectar. Wild plums trees are particularly good. Blackthorn is another wild tree that produces a profusion of blossom early in the year. Any tree that is insect pollinated will provide nectar and pollen for insects.
Fruit trees are a must for any garden, even one that has been block paved over, as they can be grown in large pots and still manage to yield lots of attractive blossom and delicious fruit we can share with the butterflies.
A Hedgerow Filled with Blossom
A nectar hedge is also an excellent way of providing a reliable supply of nectar (and pollen for bees) year after year is a small space.
You could mix wild privet and blackthorn with pussy willow, hawthorn, and holly and with climbers like honeysuckle and wild rose to provide not only nectar and pollen for the insects, but winter berries for the birds.
There is no crazy law which states that hedges have to be planted in a straight line, although this configuration is often found to be useful as a windbreak. If you have open land you could plant them in a circular or oblong shape or even a wavy configuration to optimise the amount of sun reaching them.
They shouldn't be cut too often but when they are, giving them a sloping, rather than a flat top, makes them easier to cut from ground level, and also increases the surface area exposed to the sun.
Apples, pears, any fruit trees you have in your garden will be especially valuable as they provide an early source of nectar. Wild plums trees are particularly good. Blackthorn is another wild tree that produces a profusion of blossom early in the year. Any tree that is insect pollinated will provide nectar and pollen for insects.
Fruit trees are a must for any garden, even one that has been block paved over, as they can be grown in large pots and still manage to yield lots of attractive blossom and delicious fruit we can share with the butterflies.
A Hedgerow Filled with Blossom
A nectar hedge is also an excellent way of providing a reliable supply of nectar (and pollen for bees) year after year is a small space.
You could mix wild privet and blackthorn with pussy willow, hawthorn, and holly and with climbers like honeysuckle and wild rose to provide not only nectar and pollen for the insects, but winter berries for the birds.
There is no crazy law which states that hedges have to be planted in a straight line, although this configuration is often found to be useful as a windbreak. If you have open land you could plant them in a circular or oblong shape or even a wavy configuration to optimise the amount of sun reaching them.
They shouldn't be cut too often but when they are, giving them a sloping, rather than a flat top, makes them easier to cut from ground level, and also increases the surface area exposed to the sun.