In last month’s blog I recall suggesting that 2026 may turn out to be a good painted lady year. In fact, it has been an exceptional summer for this very special migratory species. It has also been a great year for the peacock butterfly. Most of my garden wildflower patch quickly browned off in July, but the knapweed, scabious and thistles appeared to thrive in the bright sunshine, and the sea of purple flowerheads certainly attracted the butterflies. I counted THIRTY-TWO peacocks on one occasion, accompanied, during this summer, by the seemingly ubiquitous painted ladies. I always leave a patch of grass uncut throughout the year and, as a result, I’m rewarded with decent numbers of meadow browns, gatekeepers and skippers. Of course, the usual ‘whites’ are constantly tripping through the garden too. One butterfly that does appear to be struggling is the small tortoiseshell, with only one appearing in my garden to date. In contrast, the large tortoiseshell is continuing to increase in number and expand in range across southern Britain. Having suffered extinction in the UK during the last century, unusually for butterflies, its return to our shores was not the result of a reintroduction scheme, but entirely of its own volition.

The other ‘front-page’ butterfly story is the continuing march of the purple emperor. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was writing about its return to NWT Foxley Wood. This year, it has been reported from across the county, including in some lucky people’s gardens! A reliable source (you know what us naturalists are like, we don’t believe it till we see it) photographed one in my local woodland. The wood sits close to the highest point in the Norfolk Broads. Only a decade ago, to consider the purple emperor joining the swallowtail in the Broads would have been a stretch for even the most optimistic conservationist.

Another lepidopteran surprise was a scarlet tiger moth in my garden - a first! This day-flying species has made a sudden leap northward from its stronghold in the south-coast counties, and along with the Jersey tiger it is beginning to establish itself in East Anglia. Sadly, this is against the continuing, and serious, decline of the more familiar garden tiger moth. It is rarely seen in gardens now, however the Norfolk Broads remains a hotspot for the species and reserves such as NWT Hickling Broad are becoming nationally important for this beautiful moth. July and August finds the blue butterflies becoming more numerous. Fortune may bring a common blue into your garden, however a trip to NWT Buxton Heath is certainly worth it, not only for the sight of a heathland landscape purple and pink with flowering heather, but also the reward of seeing the wonderful silver-studded blue. This reintroduced species has been doing incredibly well in recent years, and seeing scores of this pretty little butterfly is an impressive and memorable sight.

‘Summer’s lease is all too short’ and I expect that when you come to read this our swifts will already be leaving us, or if they haven’t done so, will certainly be thinking about it. Swallows won’t start gathering to depart for Africa until September. It’s not unusual for a pair of swallows to still have a brood of chicks in the nest in mid-September, prompting many early naturalists to wonder how these newly fledged birds could consider migrating tens of thousands of miles within a week or two of leaving the nest. For some centuries it has been known that our swallows headed to South Africa, with returning sailors and merchants confirming their presence during our winter months. However, naturalist Gilbert White in the 18th century famously speculated that late fledgling swallows possibly hibernated in thatched roofs, or bizarrely in the silt at the bottom of lakes. This isn’t as mad as it seems, for in late summer and autumn large gatherings of swallows will roost, presumably because they feel safer, in reedbeds at the side of lakes and broads. Their sudden arrival in the evening, and departure before first light, perhaps led to the folklore that informed White’s odd assessment.

Despite the leathery leaves of tired trees, and the fading of summer into brown and beige, it is a great time to watch wildlife. Many animals are at their most numerous with voles, mice and bats doubling, even tripling in number. Another recent arrival to Norfolk, probably prompted by warmer summers and milder winters, is the wasp spider. A patch of long grass in a corner of the garden is not only great for the ‘brown’ butterflies, but wasp spiders too. I had three females in my garden last August. They hunt grasshoppers by waiting for an unsuspecting victim to leap into its strange zig-zag patterned web. As their name suggests they are large, bold and easily found, with striking yellow, black and white barring across their bodies. As is often the case with spiders, the male is much smaller, and exceptionally cautious when practicing the art of courtship. 

What to see in September

One of my favourite late summer creatures is the hummingbird hawk moth, and like the painted lady, it is appearing to be a good year for them. This migratory day-flying moth literally hovers like a hummingbird. It is in constant motion feeding on the nectar of honeysuckle, lavender and any other suitable nectar-rich flowers. Their migration across Europe from North Africa and Southern Europe, finds their numbers increasing in the UK during early September. In good years such as this, they can turn up anywhere, even on a city centre window-box, but their favourite place is a garden full of flowers. Late arriving hummingbird hawk moths very occasionally hibernate in Britain, so an early spring moth is likely to be one that has had a rare sleepover. In folklore they are considered a harbinger of good luck.

Take action

If you are thinking about having a wildflower plot in your garden, August is the best time to collect wildflower seeds, ready to plant in early autumn whilst the ground is still warm. Autumn has the perfect weather conditions for seed germination. It’s a season that’s neither too hot nor too cold, with increased rainfall and higher humidity levels. These conditions create an ideal environment for seeds to settle into the soil and begin the process of germination. For the best results, scatter fresh wildflower seeds onto a prepared seedbed. Lightly rake the soil to help the seeds settle in, and then simply let nature do the rest!