Friday 18 April 2014

Spring Planters, Spring Feeders

















New Ferry Butterfly Park has been spruced up further by a Love Wirral Grant which has enabled the planting of a holly hedge along our boundary to benefit the holly blue butterfly and to screen urban fencing. Also, 150 primroses, 50 stitchwort and 50 red campion were planted in between bluebells established last November. This en masse planting contributes considerably to the spring nectar sources available to butterflies coming out of hibernation. Thanks to all the volunteers who did this extra planting on top of the preparation for the Open Day and the visit of the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside on Sunday 4th May.


During one workday this spring more than 50 butterflies were recorded at the park including three unmistakeable brightly coloured male brimstone butterflies. This was a delight. They are more regularly seen at the park now, although there is no evidence yet that they are breeding. We eagerly look forward to the month of May when buckthorns can be examined for evidence of brimstone butterfly caterpillars.  Next year when the primroses are truly established it is hoped that the brimstone butterflies will be able to enjoy the primrose flowers as they have a sufficiently  long tongue (16mm) to easily reach down the 10mm flower tube to reach the primrose’s nectar.

File:Common Brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni).JPG
Brimstone butterfly. Photo: Wikipedia

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