How to Plant for Butterflies - Hop and the Comma Butterfly - Episode 10
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- Gardening For Wildlife - In this video we look at a plant that is more familiar with the production of beer. This once common climbing plant throughout the UK is a favourite for the Comma butterfly and is easy to grow in your own garden.
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I’ve only planted one of these this spring. I didn’t realise it was a food plant for Comma Butterfly. I have nettles too. I’ve seen the caterpillars on my nettles so hope I see them on the hop now.
Great to know Tracey! They’re nearly always underneath the leaf, so it’s a case of turning them over to spot them most of the time.
Hi Joel, thanks for the video. It was great. I am looking to grow some hops next year in my butterfly garden. Can you give me any tips? Did you buy your plant from a beer supplier or grow from seed? I would prefer to grow the local wild variety for my area which is "neomexicana" if I can find it. Do you know if it is important for the butterflies to grow the native "wild" plant or can you grow a cultivar? Thanks for any advise.
Thanks Robert, so much! So glad it was helpful to you. Can I assume you're north Mexico way or North America at least? If so then of course "neomexicana" is the one you need - it attracts the quite rare Hops Blue Butterfly which I believe is "restricted" at present to the Colorado/Montana area though - but of course it is very attractive to the Comma butterfly too. I have a feeling cultivar would work just as well at attracting butterflies. Most small craft-beer growers seem to be using this particular hop and I believe a few retailers in USA sell it - try Great Lakes Shops, although *at present* it seems to be sold out - or you could always ask your local brewery :) Failing that, do try seeds and DO let me know how you get on, would love an update, and I'm here in the meantime if you need any other help :) Many thanks again, Joel.
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi Joel, thanks for your timely response. I'm in Houston Texas so I guess neomexicana is the local flavor. I'm trying both ways....I've ordered 55 Humulus Lupulus seeds (variety unknown $1.99!) and will order a couple of neomexicana hops plants from Great Lakes when they open up for orders in January. The GL plants will be females as they are grown for brewers. Don't think I'll see any "Hops Blues" down here. BTW, in addition to the Eastern Comma, the Mourning Cloak, the Question Mark, and the Red Admiral are reported to use hops as their larval host plant. So, you'll probably be seeing more cats on your plant this year. Hope I see them too! I'll let you know how I get on.
Great to know Robert. Do keep me updated 😊👍 I’d love to see a mourning cloak but it would be extremely lucky here in the UK! Good luck 👍
Love from pakistan
Alyaan Dar thank you. Nice to hear from you Alyaan 😁🙏👍
I have the golden form ‘aureus’, will this be as beneficial to wildlife? (My dogs love nibbling the young leaves 😉).
Hi Dorothy :) Absolutely it will, the larvae feed on a range of foodplants including Common Nettle, Hops (including Aureus/Golden Hop), English Elm and Wych Elm - luckily the dogs are just eating the hops and not brewing it! ;) Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thank you for your reply Joel. It is just as well because the golden form is an absolute thug and has spread everywhere but it binds shrubs together in summer making great impenetrable thickets! 😂
@@dotnelsie The "usual" Hop can be thuggish too Dorothy but they're easily restrained - you'll be rewarded, I had Comma caterpillars the first season I put my two in :) Went to Troup Head yesterday evening to do some filming and came across the most fantastic sight and something I never thought I'd witness - can't wait to share it all with you once I'm back - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton My hop is now 17 yo which is why it has spread (largely unrestrained) so much, but it is beautiful and I see that the Comma has now reached as far north as Aberdeen, so perhaps I will see it in my garden in Braemar! Wouldn’t that be wonderful! Looking fwd to your video - Troup Head is known for its gannets but perhaps you saw whales….we’ll soon find out 🥳
@@dotnelsie They will find you - and they'll be very grateful :)