Visions of past times

One of the memories of times gone by was the certainty that a Buddleia in full bloom would be covered in Red Admirals, Tortoiseshells and Peacocks.

Although we have had these butterflies at Gribin Isaf in ones and twos, not until yesterday was that vision brought back to life.

Conditions this year may have contributed as Painted Ladies have been passing through in numbers not seen before

but providing habitats must be making a difference – this concentration of butterflies was not to be seen in the surrounding farmland.

When we dug out the large pond we made a bank behind which takes the sun all day and planted insect attracting shrubs including this white buddleia.

The Painted Ladies have favoured a nearby thistle patch on a mound sheltering the apiary

Tortoiseshells were also present

as was a Skipper