The Stubborn Light of Things: A Nature Diary by Melissa Harrison

Author:Melissa Harrison [Melissa Harrison]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Published: 2020-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

I saw my first butterfly of the year this week: a small tortoiseshell flitting fast and low on Tooting Common in dappled spring sunshine under the oaks. It was a heart-lifting sight.

The small tortoiseshell is often one of the first butterflies out and about in spring as it hibernates over winter, like the peacock, comma and brimstone, rather than spending the colder months as a caterpillar or pupa. That means that as soon as the weather turns warm it’s ready to take advantage of early sources of nectar such as forsythia, cherry blossom, mahonia, and the daisies that have this week reappeared on the common, glinting modestly amid the new grass.

The food source for small tortoiseshell caterpillars is the nettle, which is relied on by over forty insect species, including several other butterflies and moths. Thankfully, growing numbers of parks managers and gardeners now appreciate nettles’ vital importance and have stopped trying to eradicate them. Even a single trough or tub of them in a corner of your garden can help.

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