Minibeasts in the churchyard

The wild flowers in the churchyard provide nectar for butterflies and bumble bees. In spring small Orange Tip butterflies visit the delicate mauve Cuckoo Flowers, and later the Buddleia always attracts Peacocks. The purple flowerheads of Common Knapweed are partcularly popular in mid summer.
The Meadow Brown butterfly lays its eggs among the grasses in high summer. It has a very obvious small dark eyespot on its hind wing, and usually rests with its wings folded. Other grassland butterflies recorded are Large Skipper and Gatekeeper.

We haven't carried out a systematic moth survey yet, but a Drinker Moth caterpillar has been found, which feeds on grasses.

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The brightly coloured Peacock butterfly is a regular visitor to buddleia flowers in the churchyard, but it is also attracted to the flowers of Common Knapweed.

The Comma butterfly likes the bramble flowers. Small patches of bramble are left for the numerous insects which feed on the nectar.