Tag: gatekeeper

Categories
life natural world

Intermission 4

In July the Buddleia start to really blossom and it is no coincidence it is known as the butterfly bush. The butterflies flock to its nectar rich flowers which are so prolific. It happily grows in very thin soil so it is often seen as an invasive albeit pretty weed that grows into small bushy trees though! Of course weeds are a rich source of nutrients for our butterflies.

two small tortoiseshells enjoying some late evening sun
Some butterflies like this red admiral get more attention because of their colour.
This little orange/brown butterfly proved very elusive and just would not settle even for a close up! so this is a long shot….It is called the gatekeeper because it inhabits hedgerows and is seen by humans by the field gate! A proper flutterby!
This white butterfly was more accommodating – a nice example of the “small white”