BB FANS

From the 24th July to the 1st August you are asked to spend just 15 minutes and count the butterflies to see.
A chart with pictures is availble to download to help.

The Big Butterfly Count

I did the RSPB bird count on 2 occasions, but I don't know much about butterflies. I have actually seen quite a few in the garden though. I once saw a tiny bright red one. It may have had a very little black on it as well, but I can't remember now. It was very small and very pretty.

Sounds like it might have been a Cinnabar Moth

Our slightly wild garden with all the Buddleias (14) ,herbs ,and other Butterfly attracting plants is an idea place to do the count.

It's still relatively quiet compared to the usual 'high summer' levels but I still logged 30 Butterflies including 'Holly Blues' which most years are quite rare but this year they seem rather common with sightings on at least 3 days.

Last year we had large levels of 'Painted Ladys' along with the rest of the country. It was like walking through clouds of them as you walked down the path or onto the patio.

2008 so a late batch of Small Tortoiseshells which swamped the coloured Daisies.

Possibly, although I thought it was more red than that, but I may be wrong. I wanted to take a photo of it, but by the time I had gone indoors and got my camera out, I then couldn't see it again! All I can remember is that it was very small and very red. I did trying looking it up on the Internet at the time, but couldn't find anything which looked like it.

Sounds as though you have loads of butterflies in your garden. Lovely. I haven't got any butterfly attracting plants I don't think, but I have noticed more butterflies this year and lots more bees also, since planting Teazels, sunflowers, an amelanchier tree, a cherry plum tree and a crab apple tree in the garden and leaving quite a few wild patches, which include poppies, dandelions, speedwell etc.