Friday, October 11, 2013
Disbudding buddleia
To ensure I get a lot of flowers, and so the plant grows stronger, I disbud the growing tips, and before long new buds develop at the side shoots.
Sample eggs
I collected a few eggs on leaves from todays Red Admiral butterfly, and will keep an eye on them to see if they were fertile. It usually takes 8 days. I'm not sure whether you can see any eggs in this photo but there are several.
Tiny Admiral caterpillars
In the very centre of the nettle you may be able to see a tiny Admiral caterpillar. They make a small tent to hide in after feeding. Many parasites attack them even at this small stage, so I collect up some, and raise them indoors for safety.
My European nettle patch
My bed of stinging nettle is flourishing now its spring. A few weeks ago it was still quite small but now is over a metre high. The total patch is about 2 metres by 4 meters.
Its a European nettle "Urtica dioica". It spreads quite readily, so I try and restrict it to just this patch, by getting rid of the runners, and removing any seed heads.
New season for Admiral butterflies
Today I noticed another Red Admiral butterfly in the garden. Often they arrive after there has been a bit of wind, so I think they may be attracted by the slight scent from the nettle. This butterfly, like most that arrive here has damaged wings where they have been nipped by birds. We have a lot of birds around here, and I have noticed them chasing butterflies....Welcome Swallows, Tui, Bellbirds, and Silvereyes seem to be the main culprits. I know this butterfly isn't one that I have bred and released last autumn, as her wings are a lot lighter on the outside. I had some like that arrive this time of the year last season.
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