butterflies These are the most pampered insects. Everyone wants them in their gardens. The beauty of their wings gives them an advantage in a way that other species, such as beetles, cockroaches or spiders (although these are not insects, but arachnids), do not have. But even so, its population has declined significantly due to habitat degradation. Since the 1970s their population has decreased by 80%. But there is a way to make them return to ours gardens: Leave an area of grass uncut.
This is the conclusion of a study recently published in the journal General Environment Science scientists from Butterfly Conservation UK. These researchers relied on citizen science do your job. To do this, they asked volunteers to send photographs of butterflies in their gardens over 6 years.
Thus they saw that the gardens with High grass It was they who attracted these insects most of all. This makes sense since the grass food source and breeding shelter. It was easy to suspect, but there is now enough evidence to allow people interested in butterfly conservation to take matters into their own hands.
Don’t mow the grass if you want butterflies in your garden.
These scientists took information from 600 UK gardenssome in urban environment and others in rural areas. Thus, they saw that in rural gardens where the grass was not mowed, the butterfly population increased by 93%. In cities, the effect was not so noticeable, but there was also an increase there, namely by 18%.
They saw that even in gardens where the grass was lightly trimmed, the butterflies continued to approach.
What should we do then?
According to the study’s authors, it is not necessary to leave the entire garden with unmown grass. Enough with reserve patch which will serve to attract butterflies.
The larger the area and the higher the grass is left, the more butterflies will arrive, but you should not abuse this.
As for where to place this patch of grass, Butterfly conservation He has some advice on this matter. Butterflies love warmth, so it is good to have a particularly sunny spot in the garden. Of course, insecticides should not be used. It is also good that there is a variety of plants and, if possible, they bloom in the spring.
Among those that butterflies like most: lavender, Verbena bonarensismarjoram or buddleiaknown specifically as the butterfly bush.
colors its flowers, as well as smell They are especially attractive to butterflies, which usually choose them over others to collect nectar on which they feed. Additionally, flowering can be prolonged by covering them with a layer of dead flowers and a layer of organic compost, then watering from above.
With these tricks and a small garden area dedicated to one or more of these plants, butterflies won’t be able to resist visiting you.
Source: Hiper Textual
