Sunday, May 04, 2008

First Butterfly of 2008

I woke up at 11am yesterday and as I stood upstairs i saw a Butterfly flitting around. The first Butterfly that has appeared and landed in the garden. I saw a cabbage white one before but it never touched down in my garden. This first Butterfly of 2008 alighted on the New Potato Leaves. I went downstairs half asleep and grabbed the camera and went to try to photograph him. I got three photos before he flew off again.
Summer must be coming nearer now the first Butterflys have appeared.This is a Speckled Wood Buttterfly. He must love the woodland buffer zone between the row of houses and the building site.
http://www.britishbutterflies.co.uk/asp/species.asp?vernacular=Speckled%20Wood
They are beautiful when they are sat still, wings open to catch the warming rays of the sun. I hope that the summer brings many more Butterfly encounters.
The warmed leaves have appealed to many flys, wasps, and bee's besides this Speckled Wood butterfly.They must get warmed by the sun during the morning and early afternoon.
Two more nights to go before I can garden and plant the allotment further.

4 comments:

clairesgarden said...

I haven't seen any butterlies yet. there don't ever seem to be many here. my 'butterfly bush' died off a couple of years ago....where are those tokens for the garden centre!!

Anonymous said...

How great - I saw my first last week - but no camera to hand. Lovely to see yours.
Regards
Karen

Anonymous said...

Very pretty - have never seen that variety here. Usually just see the cabbage ones & pretty little yellow ones I don't know the names of - but in summer I usually get some western tiger swallowtails, always very exciting.
~plantgirl of http://squarefootgardenblog.com

David (Snappy) said...

Hi Claire,I have a Butterfly bush but it was the Potato plants he landed on to sun his wings.I have only seen a few Cabbage Whites and the Speckled Wood ones.I guess if you plant it they will come...
Karen,I came downstairs from sleep and grabbed camera.I got three photos before he took off and flew away.I hope to photograph more.They are so appealing and child like in their beauty, their delicate wings, and colours..
Plantgirl,I think if you attract Butterflys you are doing something right in the garden.I would be happy whatever species come to the garden.