Save UK Butterflies

Today is the start of Save Our Butterflies Week 2006, which continues until 30 July. The bad news is that we are down to only 56 species of butterflies in the UK, due mainly to loss of habitat. All the more reason to make our gardens butterfly-friendly. My back garden has done well for butterflies over the past very hot, dry week. I know this because on at least three occasions I've seen butterflies fighting over my back garden! Yes, some butterflies are territorial and do fight! I couldn't identify the fighters - they were a blur of orange wings - maybe Small Coppers, but I have seen enough at rest to identify these visitors to my back garden: Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Small White, Large White, Red Admiral, Small Skipper (or Essex Skipper) and Small Blue (probably). This is half the species that usually visit my garden. To find out more about butterfly conservation, view pictures of our 56 species or find a local SOB event, click the title link.