When I saw this larva in the garden on a cultivated Malva sylvestris (common mallow / apotekerkattost), I didn’t imagine this was a painted lady / tistelsommerfugl (Vanessa cardui), but it turns out that mallows (Malva spp.), other members of the Asteraceae and comfrey (Symphytum) can all feed the larvae!
Category Archives: Butterflies and moths
Butterfly prefers onion to butterfly bush!
The warmth has encouraged the Buddleja (Butterfly bush / Sommerfuglbusk) into flower, but this small tortoiseshell (neslesommerfugl) still prefers Alliums!
Buddleja isn’t edible, but it is one of the best entomentals (insects love them and so do we; it would be an edi-ento-mental if it had also been edible!)
Painted lady on old man’s beard
Painted lady on old man’s beard this morning ! (Tistelsommerfugl på tysk klematis)
Comma butterfly in the garden
On burdock / borre (Arctium spp):
Green-veined white on Patrinia
Green-veined white (rapssommerfugl) on Patrinia triloba v. takeuchiana (honeysuckle family)
Dark green fritillary
A seldom guest in the garden this morning, a dark green fritillary / Aglajaperlemorvinge (Argynnis aglaja) and the Buddleja is in flower record early!
Not Arran Brown
Garden pebble
Garden pebble (kålpyralide) (Evergestis forficalis) found in the garden yesterday whilst weeding…only one report before in my area Trøndelag (from 1986!)…..and yet another pest of brassicas :(
Speckled Wood: new for Malvik
This rather damaged speckled wood (skogringvinge) turned up in the garden this morning….and it turns out to be the first record of this butterfly in Malvik kommune…
The third picture below shows the distribution in Norway. It’s not that unexpected that it should turn up here in Malvik as there are several reports on the other side of the fjord!
For Helge Finnøy
I was very saddened yesterday to learn that my friend Helge Finnøy has passed away after a very long illness :cry:
Helge was a gentle, modest, intelligent man and we shared an interest in particular in plants and insects and he reintroduced me to the music of Ray Davies (Kinks) and we were both at his memorable performance at Trondheim Torvet (town square) on October 11th 2014. I’m not one for sending flowers (at least not at this time of year), so I’ve put this little gallery together of my colourful memories of Helge! I have fond memories of visiting Helge (and Randi) and his garden at Torp (incidentally right next to Granly, where we rented a flat when we first moved to Norway i 1981). Takk for alt, Helge! Kondolere Randi Stubban og Sunniva Stubban Finnøy <3