Any garden, no matter the size, can easily attract butterflies and moths. You just need one ingredient: nectar, nectar and more nectar! By planting suitable nectar-rich plants, you could quickly attract up to 18 species of butterfly and many moths.
Good sources of nectar
Butterflies can fly surprisingly long distances in their search for the right breeding site, and nectar provides essential sustenance at this time. Butterflies locate nectar flowers by following scent and colour. Generally, both native and non-native flowers are suitable as nectar sources, so you have lots of choice of what to plant.
It is important that the nectar is accessible – simple, shallow flowers are best. Butterflies cannot reach the nectar in deep flowers such as foxgloves. You should also be wary of double flowers, as many of these are sterile, scentless, and do not have any nectar.
You can group flowers to create a ‘butterfly border’. Butterflies like warmth, so go for a sheltered, sunny spot and try to pick a mixture of plants that flower throughout the year. Obviously, don't use any insecticides or pesticides as they will kill butterflies and many other important insects.
The following list is not comprehensive, but should be a helpful guide to seasonal nectar:
- Spring. Aubrieta, bluebell, cuckooflower, forget-me-not, grape hyacinth, heather (spring flowering), honesty, hyssop, primrose.
- Summer. Many flowers, especially bramble, Buddleia (butterfly bush), candytuft, dandelion, flos flower, golden rod, heliotrope, hemp agrimony, knapweed, lavender, French marigold, marjoram, mint, nasturtiums, oxeye daisy, perennial wallflower, purple loosestrife, scabious, sweet rocket, sweet william, teasel, thyme, toadflax, valerian and yarrow.
- Autumn. Alyssum, black-eyed Susan, Buddleia (deadhead to prolong season), hebe, heliotrope, ice plant (but not ‘autumn joy’ or ‘brilliant’), ivy, michaelmas daisy, scabious, Verbena, yarrow.
Butterflies will also feed on ripe and windfall fruit, root sap, tree trunks, honeydew, sweat, carrion, dung, cuckoo spit, and even wine! You could also put out sugar strips, or a shallow dish of sugared water and honey. If you live near the coast, this will be popular with migrants.
Getting butterflies and moths to breed in your garden is a bit more tricky as most caterpillars only feed on a specific foodplant.