Supporting Butterflies and Moths
Butterfly and moth populations need 1) suitable habitats, 2) flowers that provide nectar and 3) foodplants for caterpillars. There are lots of flowering plants that provide plentiful nectar that is accessible to butterflies and moths, but individual butterfly and moth species have different preferences, and covering the flying season from early spring to late autumn is important, so it is good to grow a variety of plants. We offer over one hundred plant varieties that produce flowers attractive to butterflies and moths that are also suited to our local soils (or can be planted in a pot), so you can choose the colour, size and style that you want for your garden – check our butterfly- and moth-friendly plants out here and take a look at our year-round flowering blog.
That said, there are a few superstar plants that merit a special mention…
In the cold wet year of 2024, butterfly numbers were very low but our bog garden was hugely popular; especially the hemp agrimony, red campion and devil's bit scabious (which are also caterpillar foodplants - see below for many more).
Marjoram and oregano are a great source of nectar for butterflies and moths. During the 2022 heatwave, greek oregano was the most popular plant in our garden.
Scabious, or pincushion flowers, are famously popular with butterflies.
Many scabious species prefer a well-drained soil so we have tested different varieties to find those that do well here.
Wallflower 'Bowles Mauve' has a very long flowering season and is popular with butterflies from the start of the flying season to the end.
Buddleja is so popular with butterflies that it is also known as the butterfly bush while purpletop vervain attracts a similar range of adults as buddleja.
Night-flying moths are attracted to the same flowers as butterflies (such as buddlejaa, common jasmine, hemp agrimony, honeysuckle, ragwort, sweet rocket, sallow and sweet williams) and to flowers that release their scent and nectar at night (evening primrose, tobacco Nicotiana alata, and night-scented stock).
Caterpillars can be less popular with gardeners but without caterpillars there would be no butterflies or moths. They are also an important food source for other wildlife like garden birds and hedgehogs. What's more, caterpillars are gorgeous creatures themselves once you get to know them. The vast majority of species will do very little damage to your plants, especially if you are growing flowering plants (rather than veg), whether you have a herbaceous border or a wildflower meadow.
Growing foodplants for caterpillars is a little bit more complicated than choosing flowers for adult butterflies. Some caterpillar species will thrive on a few different plants but no caterpillars are so generalist that they eat virtually anything (not like some slugs!). Other caterpillar species are highly specialised, only surviving on one or two plant species. If the right plant(s) doesn't grow somewhere locally then you won't see those butterflies or moths. You may get caterpillars if 1) you grow the right foodplant, 2) there is already a population in the area, AND 3) it is a species that will colonise gardens (some will only lay their eggs in natural habitats).
The five tables below list the day-flying species we have seen in our own Horfield garden and a few that we know have been spotted in north Bristol (for example, in Stoke Park or the Downs), together with their caterpillar foodplants. Caterpillar foodplants that we sell are marked with an asterisk*. The information in these tables comes from Butterfly Conservation, from our own records of caterpillars feeding on our garden plants and from sightings made by the Bristol Butterfly Group.
Most moths fly at nighttime and are easiest to monitor using moth traps. The table below lists the day-flying moths we have seen in our garden plus some that we have spotted as caterpillars and others that we have seen as adults hidden during the day. It is just a subset of the moths that we would expect to see if we also used moth traps.
Suitable habitats are vital for butterlfies and moths too. Although we only see butterflies in flight from spring to autumn, they are with us year-round (apart from a few migrating species) and need suitable habitats to rest, hibernate, and pupate. Many species need long grass year round (not just May!) and you can find out more on our Wildlife Lawns blog and on the Butterfly Conservation website. In addition to leaving an area of long grass, it is also a good idea to wait until spring to prune shrubs and perennial plants that have died back in the autumn. Similarly, wait until spring to tidy up borders, leaving twigs and leaf litter on the ground over winter. We also recommend that you minimise soil disturbance and avoid turning the soil over, so that you don't harm caterpillars like those of the hawkmoth that burrow down into the soil or leaf litter to hibernate.