Common butterflies and their favourite food

Torsby municipality has created a park in the town center of Torsby. The purpouse of the park is to support biodiveristy and create awarness among people. In the park there is several infosign, here you can read these in english.

Yummy for butterfly caterpillars

Most of us know that butterflies live off the nectar from flowers but their caterpillars often need specific plants that have long grown in Sweden. It is important that we try to cultivate and save these plants in our gardens.

As a home gardener you are maybe used to regarding insect gnaw as something that needs to be fought. but you should rather look at it as a way of creating proper breeding environments for butterflies and other insects.

Dare refusing weeding

Much of what you may see as weeds;dandelions, thistles and nettles are actually very good for butterflies. Stinging nettles, as an example, are hosting plants for tortoiseshell butterflies, admirals, comma butterflies and thistle butterflies and, species that can be seen in the pictures below.

Grow plants

• Trees, bushes and climbing plants: fruit trees and berry bushes, old-fashioned roses, honeysuckle, rhododendron, lilac, butterflybush and sallow.
• Early blooming perennial plants: aubrieta, lungwort, pearl hyacinth, snowdrop and coltsfoot.
• Mid summer blooming perennials: bluebell, bolt thistle, purple loosestrife, hemp agrimony, hyssop, oregano, lavender, sea holly, yarrow, sage, great masterwort, soapwort, beebalm, thyme and daisies.
• Late blooming perennials: asters, orpine, heather, purple bush, sneezeweed and coneflower.