The Butterfly Bush

I’ve always known that Buddleja was a seriously important plant for insects, but until a couple of weeks ago when I saw the one growing in the garden of my mothers next door neighbour, I didn’t realise just how important it really is. To say the plant was alive with butterflies was a gross understatement. It’s for this very good reason that Buddleja davidii is known as the butterfly bush.

Buddleja is technically an invasive species and is commonly found on waste ground, but something that provides so much benefit to insect species can hardly be looked upon as a bad thing. It can grow out of control very quickly if it isn’t pruned and this is a major reason why it isn’t seen in many gardens but with only a small amount of effort it can be contained and once it starts flowering in the summer months, the rewards make the effort of pruning worthwhile. This plant attracts almost every species of nectar sipping butterfly and moth as well as a fine collection of bees and other pollen spreading insects.

The plant has a very attractive purple coloured flower and many people mistake it for Lilac. There are about 100 species of the plant but for photographers it’s the davidii variety we are interested in. It’s beginning to tail off now for the year but there are still good blooms to be found along rail sidings. That purple flower you keep seeing out the window as the train heads into town is Buddleja. It is a key plant to have on your side if you want to capture photos of Red Admirals, Peacocks and Painted Ladys. Due to a variety of commitments, I was unable to make the best use of the plant this year but I will be making it a priority next year so I can get that perfect image of a Peacock that I’ve been after for a while now. I’m planting it in the new garden as well so let’s hope it takes.

In the meantime, there are still flowering shrubs out there and butterflies looking for their last meal before they too tail off so best of luck. Maybe there’s still one final decent image of the year left too take.

www.davemcmanusphotography.com

Wasps - Public Enemy Number 1?

It’s that time of year again folks. That’s right, it’s Wasp Bashing Season!! Maybe a strange pursuit for an environmentally sensitive soul like me, but I hate them! Period! Full Stop! You may think I am exaggerating here, but I’ve always considered Wasps to be the terrorists of the insect world. They spend their day flying around looking for innocent humans to torment and pick on. And when they get annoyed by our flapping and flailing, they line up their sights and come in for the kill with Red Baron like precision.

Actually wasps, and quite specifically Vespula vulgaris, the Common Wasp, are quite interesting animals. They are a highly social animal and live in nests numbering 2000. They make a nest so complex and strong that it puts all our architectural attempts to shame and yet they scare a lot of people. I’m sure that this can be put down to their sting.

A feature unique to the wasps is that the venom with which they sting contains a pheromone which alarms all other wasps in the area and invites them to join the attack on the victim, a bit like the way sharks will home in on the scent of blood. Bees fly in swarms and have the reputation for attacking in swarms, (think of the Africanized Honey Bee in the U.S.) but a bee won’t attack you unless it has to. The mechanism of a bee sting is fatal to the bee as it can only use its sting once, whereas the wasp can sting multiple times. So if you do get stung by a wasp, then get out of the area fast because more will find you to protect their buddy and sting the hell out of you.

At this time of year, between August and October, worker wasps are attracted into houses by fruit and jams. They love the juice from plums and apples and once it’s hot you can expect a few visitors during the day. They will travel a distance to get to a food source so the presence of wasps doesn’t necessarily mean there is a nest nearby but there may well be. I once had one in the house next door and it was an impressive sight watching them come in and out of the hive like planes landing and taking off from an airport.

So what do you do if you have a nest in your house/garden? Well, personally, I’d have a nervous breakdown as wasps are my enemy number one but once I got over that I’d call in pest control because I wouldn’t go near one and my advice to you guys would be to do the same. You can buy powder, spray and a type of expanding foam, which is said to work very well, but professionals are there for a reason and that’s why I call the wasp busters.

One insect even scarier than a wasp and relatively uncommon in Ireland is their close cousin the Hornet (Vespa crabro). A big brown and yellow devil that would strike fear into a pillar of granite. But looks can be deceiving. The Hornet is actually much less aggressive than most smaller wasps and has been observed actually retreating backwards when approached. Along with bees and fruit it has been known to eat the odd wasp larvae or two and is partial to the adults as well. It is also totally benign to humans. It doesn’t seek us out at all and will land on you without putting you in any danger. Maybe what we need is more hornets. A non aggressive, scary eater of all things waspish. I love it. Of course, they do defend their nests. Aggressively. In fact if you get too close they will attack you and defend their home with extreme prejudice and leave you in ribbons. So we just need to give them a little space and point them in the direction of their dinner of ‘my’ choice.

Yes, I think I could live with a Hornet for a neighbour, but until I’m able to erect the “beware of hornet” sign in the garden I’ll have to make do with the rolled up newspaper. And even though I should be more tolerant, I will continue to exact my measure of revenge upon the winged demons that torment me so. I really hate wasps!!