Top tips for helping butterflies and moths this winter
Go Easy on the Hedge Cutting
Leave some areas completely unpruned for a year or two and do this on a rotational basis so that you maintain your hedge without the risk of wiping out an entire generation of insects.
Leave the leaves
Various caterpillars live amongst leaves, so remove them from lawns to keep the grass in good condition if you need to, but whatever you do don’t burn them! Pile them in quiet corners of the garden or on flower beds. They will suppress the growth of weeds while adding nutrients to your soil.
Create a wild space
Have one or more areas of your garden that are completely untouched. This could be around the edges of the garden, or under trees. Having wild areas like this can help to balance having a neat garden but keeping it also wildlife friendly.
Leave some plant stems uncut
Insects may be using plan stems as a winter home, so it might be worth leaving some plant stems uncut.
Start a habitat pile
A habitat pile could be just a pile of twigs, branches and leaves where insects can retreat to in the winter.
Stay Up To Date
Keep up to date with all the latest butterfly and moth news and receive regular gardening hints and tips by signing up to our monthly e-newsletter. Sign up now.
Become a member of Butterfly Conservation
When you join Butterfly Conservation we’ll send you a wealth of information about butterflies and moths, tips on how to encourage them to your garden and details of which species you can find on your local reserves. You’ll also received copies of Butterfly magazine and our exclusive Gardening for Butterflies and Moths booklet by garden writer Kate Bradbury, which is packed with top tips, plant lists and design inspiration for colourful borders, containers or wildflower meadows. Join now.
Donate to our Climate Change Appeal
Donate to our Climate Change Appeal, and fund vital research that will help us identify and protect the species most at risk from rising temperatures. Donate now.
#DoNothingForNature