My office window looks out onto the side of the house and over the years a buddleia bush has grown. Every spring it gets cut back, and each summer it grows huge and produces long purple flower spikes.
The last few summers there have been very few butterflies to use it, but this year WOW.
I've seen anything from 7-10 of them on the flowers at the same time- all bar one, are Peacock's.
Now it's also started to get a few bees feeding on the flowers too.
So I took a few pictures. Surprisingly I was able to get quite close up to them, but they were so intent on feeding that I think they weren't bothered I was there.
It's been fascinating to look up and see them climbing around, folding their wings together against a rush of wind that has the flower spikes bobbing up and down as they hold on...
Hopefully the good summer will ensure we have plenty of butterflies next year.
Have you noticed an increase in butterflies where you live, or any colourful insects?
8 comments:
Carol, they keep coming in to the house and then fluttering at the window to get out.
I spend much of the day trying to escort them off the premises.
Beautiful yet very annoying.
There have been more bees and butterflies this year. Still not enough though.
Beautiful photos, Carol - I've heard a few people talking about the number of butterflies this year.
We seem to have a lot of bees and butterflies on the runner beans and lavender. Seem to be a lot of wasps about this year as well.
Yes, insects of any sort getting in can be annoying. I've had bees trying to fly through the office window, but it was closed. No clean windows perhaps, Debbie.
Hopefully this year's good weather will go some way to boosting the numbers, Patsy.
Thanks, Rosemary. I think the increased number of butterflies has been so obvious this year because of the number in one spot each time.
I have never seen as many as ten at one time before.
Keith, I haven't seen any wasps yet- thankfully, as I react to their sting.
But the bees certainly seem to be following the butterflies in my garden.
Lovely photos - the butterflies are beautiful and showy - i actually enjoyed the sight of the buddlea more!
Wonderful photos, Carol. The Buddleia is not known as the 'butterfly bush' for nothing. We only seem to get white Cabbage Butterflies in our garden. I'm so envious. Rx
The Buddleia has been fantastic with assorted size flower spikes, Lizy.
Thanks, Rena. We've had one Cabbage White on the bush, but it's had to keep away from the Peacock's.
It's only this year I've finally understood why it's known as the butterfly bush. :-)
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