Black Hairstreak Butterfly

  The Black Hairstreak is one of our most elusive butterflies, foundonly in thickets of Blackthorn in woodlands on heavy clay soilsbetween Oxford and Peterborough in the East Midlands of England.The adults spend nearly all their time in the canopies of trees ordense scrub where they feed on honeydew secreted by aphids.At certain times they make short looping flights in and out of thetree tops. Butterflies can be seen from early morning to earlyevening with a peak of activity around midday. The adults areeasy to confuse with those of the White-letter Hairstreak andPurple Hairstreak which fly at the same time of … Read more

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Adonis Blue bellargus

  Life cycle   There are two broods per year, with adults flying from mid-May to mid-June, andearly August to mid-September. The eggs are laid singly on very small foodplantsgrowing in short turf. These conditions provide a very warm microclimate for larvaldevelopment and are favoured by ants, which tend both larvae and pupae. The greenlarvae are well camouflaged and are nearly always attended by ants, which are attractedby secretions from special ‘honey’ glands and pores. Any ant species appears suitable,but the most common are the red ant Myrmica sabuleti and the small black antLasius alienus. The ants protect the larvae from predators … Read more

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Adonis Blue

10 Fascinating Facts About Butterflies

  1:Butterfly Wings Are Transparent   How can that be? We know butterflies as perhaps the most colorful, vibrant insects around! Well, a butterfly’s wings are covered by thousands of tiny scales, and these scales reflect light in different colors. But underneath all of those scales, a butterfly wing is actually formed by layers of chitin—the same protein that makes up an insect’s exoskeleton. These layers are so thin you can see right through them. As a butterfly ages, scales fall off the wings, leaving spots of transparency where the chitin layer is exposed.   2:Butterflies Taste With Their Feet   Butterflies have taste … Read more

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How to attract butterflies to your garden

Butterflies are a common sight in gardens, but several species are in decline as they battle habitat loss.Here are some simple steps you can take to make your garden, patio or windowsill a little more homely for visiting butterflies, and encourage them to move in permanently. Add A Butterfly House We’re all familiar with the bug hotel and have seen plenty of bird box ideas, however, you might be less familiar with the butterfly box. This box is a great and easy way to learn how to attract butterflies to your garden. The butterfly box is similar to a traditional … Read more

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what do monarch butterflies eat

  What Do Monarch Butterflies Eat?   Monarchs eat several times a day to keep their energy up, though if food is scarce or the weather is bad, they can go a day or so without food. These butterflies mainly eat nectar from flowers. Most people associate monarchs with milkweed, and it’s true that their caterpillars dine exclusively on the leaves of these plants. Adult monarchs, however, will eat from a wide array of nectar plants, including the flowers of milkweed. Other favorite monarch flowers include sunflower, coneflower, ironweed, zinnia, lantana, penta, salvia, and many more.   Do Monarch Butterflies Eat Fruit?   Sometimes … Read more

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monarch butterflies

Brimstone | Common brimstone

Gonepteryx rhamni, commonly named the common brimstone, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It lives throughout the Palearctic zone and is commonly found across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Across much of its range, it is the only species of its genus, and is therefore simply known locally as the brimstone. Its wing span size is 60–74 mm (2.4–2.9 in). It should not be confused with the brimstone moth Opisthograptis luteolata. The brimstone relies on two species of buckthorn plants as host plants for its larvae; this influences its geographic range and distribution, as these plants are commonly found … Read more

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Common brimstone

how long do monarch butterflies live

Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle   Monarch butterflies go through four stages during one life cycle and through four generations in one year. The four stages of the monarch butterfly life cycle are the egg, the larvae (caterpillar), the pupa (chrysalis), and the adult butterfly. The four generations are actually four different butterflies going through these four stages during one year, until it is time to start over again with stage one and generation one.   In February and March, the final generation of hibernating monarch butterflies comes out of hibernation to find a mate. They then migrate north and east in order … Read more

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monarch butterflies

Butterfly Diet:What do butterflies eat?

Butterflies should eat what food, diet is very curious, butterflies always look very beautiful when they are fluttering. Unfortunately, we can no longer see such flocks of butterflies, and sometimes I still feel very nostalgic when I think about it. However, in order to be able to see the appearance of flocks of butterflies when I was a child, many farmers are now breeding butterflies in bulk, most of them are put into the butterfly garden to go, so now butterflies are still very popular. Have you ever wondered what those happily fluttering butterflies are up to in your backyard … Read more

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butterfly habitat

Butterfly Habitat Essentials   In the warm summer months it’s easy to tell the gardens that are the serious butterfly attractors. Where butterflies abound, it’s usually not by chance. They’re attracted by specific elements, all which can easily be added to any garden.   Butterflies need nectar throughout their life but adults feed primarily in sunny areas. They are most attracted to brightly colored flowers in hues of red, orange, yellow, purple and pink for this food source. Flowers with flat tops make good landing pads and short flower tubes make easier access to nectar. Good tried and true examples of sun-loving … Read more

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