We're nearly into Spring but who'll be one of the first insects to show their face? Well we think it will be the Brimstone Butterfly (which is a beautiful shade of butterly yellow).
Brimstones are found throughout Europe and North Africa but their main habitat is in our woodlands and gardens! (In fact the adults hibernate over winter in woodlands before they emerge in early Spring).
You might also be lucky enough to spot an adult Peacock Butterfly. These butterflies get their name from the huge sapphire blue eyespots that appear on each wing. They can be found anywhere that is rich in flowers for example our orchards, gardens and woodlands. The Garden Bumblebee is also another insect who is one of the first to emerge in Spring. If you'd like to know more about these wonderful insects take a look at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website. There's a whole page dedicated to bumblebee identification!
However there's one thing that all insects adore and that's nectar! So try to ensure that you have a continuous supply of nectar rich flowers in your garden, throughout the year.
Cottage style gardens are ideal for insects as they contain many different flowers and petal shapes - single rows of petals, rather than double give insects easier access to the flower's nectar. And don't forget that pollinating insects come in all shapes and sizes too!
Here's a list of the top 6 nectar producing plants that insects love:
Buddleja, Lavendar, Rosemary, Honeysuckle, Californian Poppy (which can be grown from seed) and Sedum (or ice plant). All of these flowers can be grown in our gardens and provide not only a wonderful splash of colour for us, but essential food for our insects too!
Remember it's National Insect week from 21st - 27th June!
Winter 
