From caterpillar cafes to making a puddler, how your kids can help save British butterflies this summer
BUTTERFLY numbers are dive-bombing, and nature lovers this summer are being urged to help them survive and thrive.
Four in five of our native species have declined since the Seventies, and half are now in danger of extinction, warns the charity Butterfly Conservation.
Destruction of meadows has meant the loss of food sources and breeding grounds.
But here we tell you ways you and your children can do your bit for the Red Admiral, Painted Lady and other winged wonders . . .
Fruit fly-thru
IF you are lucky enough to have a garden with apple, plum or pear trees, you can encourage butterflies by leaving any over-ripe fallen fruit on the ground.
Species such as Red Admirals and Painted Ladies will gorge on the sweet juices so it is a great way to attract them.
If you don’t have any fruit trees, perhaps make a butterfly feeder instead.
Simply pop some very ripe fruit such as banana or melon on a flat, brightly coloured plate in a sheltered spot – keeping it flat as butterflies taste with their feet – then wait to see who arrives at your fly-thru.
Make resting spots
JUST like humans with tired legs, butterflies also need to rest their wings, so do try to provide places for them to catch some R&R.
You can do this quickly and easily by simply laying out some stones or rocks around any outside space at your home or nearby.
Butterflies can then recuperate and bask in the summer sunshine.
This is a great activity for little ones to engage in, so get them involved this summer.
The resting points are probably best created in sheltered areas – then your job is done and just wait to see which species respond.
Get gardening
FLOWERS and plants that provide nectar are a treat for butterflies, so get along to your local garden centre and select some to grow at home.
But you do not have to spend a fortune on this project.
Common blooms such as lavender, primroses and cornflowers are loved by many species and can be bought for not too much money.
Large buddleia plants are known as butterfly bushes for good reason.
Or look out for packets of seeds to sow in early spring.
Grow in sunny spots, in containers, or window boxes if you have no outside space.
Join the big count
BE an at-home conservationist by taking part in the Big Butterfly Count.
To join the project run by Butterfly Conservation simply download the identification chart then get outside into the garden or your local park to see how many species you can spot in a 15-minute window.
You can then record your findings online.
Do as many counts as you like and you will be helping to monitor how butterfly populations are faring around the UK, and hopefully helping to pre-serve and protect them.
For more details, see bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org.
Water wings
WHEN temperatures fall in winter, some butterfly species, including small tortoiseshell and peacock, will seek out shelter while it is too cold for them to be active.
But warm central heating could awaken them from hibernation too early, so get children involved in preparing a cooler hideout for them to enjoy.
Clear a space in a shed, garage or outbuilding where they can be comfortable.
Preferably, this should be near to a window that can be left ajar for an escape route come the warmer spring months.
If you do find any active butterflies around your home during the cold months, place them in a cardboard box before moving them to a hideout you can create.
Caterpillar cafes
BEAUTIFUL butterflies begin life as caterpillars, so encourage the grubs to feed in your outdoor spaces.
Butterfly caterpillars are famously fussy about what they chomp.
But those from common breeds like Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma love scoffing nettles.
Painted Ladies enjoy chomping away on thistles while Large Whites will feast on cabbages.
What to plant in your caterpillar café may depend on your location and the type of soil you have.
Ask staff at your local garden centre or nursery what they advise and then have fun planting their suggestions.
It’s educational for all ages.
Keep it wild
CREATING a mini meadow by leaving a patch of your lawn uncut will aid tiny creatures.
It provides food and shelter and creates a natural breeding ground for butterflies and moths.
Make the patch as large as you can afford and leave it to grow as wild as possible. This should also help to attract other wildlife such as grasshoppers and bees.
Don’t spray on pesticides or insecticides as these can kill the species you want to protect.
Letting grass grow tall also helpfully cuts down on chores such as weeding.
Create a D.I.Y. puddler
BUTTERFLY puddling is where our fluttering friends gather in muddy patches to extract essential salts and minerals from the water.
If you already have a murky area in your garden, simply leave it be as a hydration source.
But in warm weather, or just as a fun summer holiday activity, why not try making your own.
Simply fill a low, shallow dish, like a clay plant pot, with water, and tip in some plain sand.
Add either a pinch of salt or some composted manure (on sale in garden centres), mix together then make a small indentation in the centre.
Pour in some more water and wait to see who arrives to sup at your butterfly bar.
Monitor and top up the fluid as required.