Plant a few pollen-rich flowers in your garden and watch it come alive with butterflies and bees
Turn to page 108 of July's The Simple Things for our feature on how to open a nectar bar in your garden, and follow the ideas below.
1. Leave a few fallen fruits on the ground. In late summer, butterflies, such as the Red Admiral and Painted Lady, will feed on fruit juices in fallen over-ripe pears, plums and apples.
2. Avoid pesticides. If you’re struggling with pests, you can make your own organic sprays (see Issue 48 for recipes) that won’t harm insects or the environment.
3. Don’t forget caterpillars. Stinging nettles, thistles, holly and ivy are good sources of food and act as hosts on which butterflies lay their eggs.