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Posted by flowerpotlady (U2753889) on Thursday, 15th December 2005
I have grown a 'nectar bar' (alias Monty Don, Gardener's World) in my garden for several years and have always enjoyed numerous beautiful butterflies all summer long. However this year I have struggled to spot even the odd Peacock or Tortoiseshell. I would be interested to hear if other gardeners have noticed a decrease in butterflies this year. I wonder if this is just a regional thing, I live in Cheshire by the way.
On a positive note I did have my first visit from a Hummingbird Hawk Moth in September. I would be interested to hear of other readers who have enjoyed these unusual visitors.
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by Rhoda Dendron (U2176380) on Thursday, 15th December 2005
Hi flowerpotlady
I occasionally get hummingbird moths in my garden in Brighton - they like the lavender. I actually had one in early March this year, I think I mentioned it on the boards at the time I was so amazed.
, in reply to message 2.
Posted by flowerpotlady (U2753889) on Thursday, 15th December 2005
Thanks Rhoda for letting me know about your Hummingbird Moth visit. I first saw them two years ago when on holiday in the Loire Valley, France. I thought they were hummingbirds then, but looked it up in a book and discovered they were moths. I have never seen one in England before this summer. They are quite amazing arn't they. Thanks for your feedback.
Hi Flowerpotlady - For the first time ever, I thought I was seeing things this year twice. Either the same Hummingbird Hawkmoth or two different ones. First time it hovered around the flowers of scented leaved geraniums (pelargoniums) and second time it was near a Scabious for a few moments and then flew all over the place. Fascinating to watch. Is this unusual for S E Monmouthshire? On a positive note I did have my first visit from a Hummingbird Hawk Moth in September. I would be interested to hear of other readers who have enjoyed these unusual visitors.Â
, in reply to message 4.
Posted by flowerpotlady (U2753889) on Thursday, 15th December 2005
Thanks for your message Toadspawn. Very interesting to hear of other people having seen the hummingbird hawk moth in different places. In all my 42 years (oops a flowerpot lady should never give away her age!!) I had never seen onein Britain, then to see one in my own back garden was quite amazing. I wondered whether global warming was the reason it had travelled so far north (not that Cheshire is that far North!)They can't be that common if it has taken me 42 years for my first British sighting. Mine was hovering around my Bizzie Lizzies. I felt quite honoured that my garden was interesting enough for it.
Still worried that there arn't enough butterflies around though!
I took this photo of a hummingbird moth on my lavender this year. The clarity has been lost a bit in enlarging it and of course the wings vibrate so much it blurs - but better than nothing!
Thank you for the fabulous photo of your hummingbird hawk moth. I didn't get time to photograph my visitor because it disappeared by the time I had found the camera. However I did get a good piccie 2 years ago of one I spotted in the Loire Valley. I have it in 'my pictures' but have yet to work out how to insert it into this message. You are obviously an old hand at this so any advice/instructions would be appreciated. Sorry to appear so computer illiterate!
Hi, well for me it is all complicated as I have to scan the images in from negs as most of my stuff isn't taken with a digital camera. So my OH gave me a list of instructions which I'm not sure are relevant to other people. I'm sure someone else can help as they have guided other people on the Design board. I would really like to see your pictures.
Rhoda
Fantastic photo Rhoda - now I need to go and look the moth up in my book!
, in reply to message 9.
Posted by Rhoda Dendron (U2176380) on Friday, 16th December 2005
For anyone interested here is more info about the moth and its migratory habits etc. on
www.rspb.org.uk/birds/advice/hummingbirdhawkmoth/index.asp
, in reply to message 10.
Posted by flowerpotlady (U2753889) on Friday, 16th December 2005
Very interesting link Rhoda, thank you. Still struggling to put my piccie on!!
, in reply to message 11.
Posted by Rhoda Dendron (U2176380) on Friday, 16th December 2005
Are you using photobucket for your pictures Flowerpot?
, in reply to message 12.
Posted by flowerpotlady (U2753889) on Friday, 16th December 2005
No, I have pictures in my own file on my computer. But no web site for them. Just spoken to my sister on line who is more computer literate than me, have sent her my piccie and she is putting it on her web site, will send me the link to let you have it when she is done!!
, in reply to message 13.
Posted by flowerpotlady (U2753889) on Friday, 16th December 2005
Website link for my piccie is , thank heavens for clever sisters!
, in reply to message 14.
Posted by flowerpotlady (U2753889) on Friday, 16th December 2005
Actually just clicked on this and doesn't appear to be working. Well get back to you!
, in reply to message 15.
Posted by Rhoda Dendron (U2176380) on Friday, 16th December 2005
There is a comma at the end of the address if you take this off it works! You have got the hummingbird from a great angle! They move so quickly it is difficult to get a picture at all.
, in reply to message 16.
Posted by nogreenfingers (U2761460) on Friday, 16th December 2005
This is the invited to sort the link out clever sister who should probably introduce herself but you don't want me you want the buterfly
, in reply to message 5.
Posted by nogreenfingers (U2761460) on Friday, 16th December 2005
(oops a flowerpot lady should never give away her age!!) Â
Or invite her sister to a forum where she has done so. I now feel the need to point out that I'm her younger sister, well a niece almost by age. ;o)
, in reply to message 18.
Posted by flowerpotlady (U2753889) on Friday, 16th December 2005
Glad you got the link Rhoda, will work on my computer skills from now on!
, in reply to message 18.
Posted by flowerpotlady (U2753889) on Friday, 16th December 2005
just like to point out that nogreenfingers is flowerpot's much older sister actually. But also much wiser when it comes to the computer age!
, in reply to message 20.
Posted by nogreenfingers (U2761460) on Friday, 16th December 2005
But everyone knows it's the younger generation that have the IT skills! :o 0
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by ladyclaremont (U2380913) on Friday, 16th December 2005
Hi flowerpot, we have this lovely moth visit quite alot here in Cornwall. I first saw it during last winter. It doesn't seem to be that fussy which flowers it visits ,but I suppose early in the year it doesn't have a lot of choice.We also have stick insects living in the garden which can give you a bit of a shock if you're not expecting to see something that large (5-6inches)Apparently they were introduced to Truro some years ago as eggs on imported plants and as the winters here are quite mild the eggs survive the winter.
, in reply to message 12.
Posted by flowerpotlady (U2753889) on Friday, 16th December 2005
Are you using photobucket for your pictures Flowerpot?Â
Thanks for the tip Rhoda, have just found photo bucket and downloaded some piccies to start my own album. Have also just been browsing your lovely garden you posted on line. See if my computing skills can get my piccies available for you to see!
Well done Flowerpotlady! Your photos are great - keep them coming!
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by MizzTuppence (U2378711) on Saturday, 17th December 2005
I have grown a 'nectar bar' (alias Monty Don, Gardener's World) in my garden for several years and have always enjoyed numerous beautiful butterflies all summer long. However this year I have struggled to spot even the odd Peacock or Tortoiseshell. I would be interested to hear if other gardeners have noticed a decrease in butterflies this year. I wonder if this is just a regional thing, I live in Cheshire by the way.
On a positive note I did have my first visit from a Hummingbird Hawk Moth in September. I would be interested to hear of other readers who have enjoyed these unusual visitors.Â
I garden for butterflies and have had some good sightings this year including a Peacock, the only butterfly missing from the garden has been the Painted Lady, but saying that I think I may have been lucky. Because of the very hot dry weather this year plants struggle to produce nectar and this they say is why we haven't seen many butterflies this summer.
Congratulations to those of you who managed to photograph a Hummingbird Hawk Moth, almost an impossible thing to do as the little critters are so fast in flight, I didn't see one this year so fingers crossed for next!
, in reply to message 25.
Posted by MizzTuppence (U2378711) on Saturday, 17th December 2005
Just seen your pics flowerpotlady, beautiful garden and what a fantastic pic of the hummingbird hawkmoth. If I can achieve the same standards of gardening that everyone on here has I might even post some of my pics on here at least I have a few months to learn how to do it!!
I live in north east Norfolk. 2005 has been a wonderful year for butterflies so maybe it's regional. I had a Poplar Hawk Moth sleeping on my cottage walls during the day.
My mother, in Buckinghamshire has also complained of few Butterflies and like you, she grows nectar plants. However Butterflies grow from caterpillars not adult butterflies so to speak. So what you need to do is find room in the garden for stinging nettles and other plants on which the eggs are laid and the lavae feed. I have a green hop which grows over the garage so get Comma Butterflies.
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