Somerset to be the hols hangout for butterflies

Somerset has long benefited from its tourism industry and now we are going all out to attract holidaymakers of a different kind looking to fly in.

Our talented staff have created a mini resort for butterflies and other friendly bugs like ladybirds and bees complete with an insect hotel, a pool and a nectar bar as part of The Big Butterfly Count, which runs from now until August 7.

The insect airport is open and we’re hoping for plenty of happy landings here at the garden centre! We’ve stocked our nectar bar with lots of sweet smelling and brightly coloured flowering plants and we’re ready for our six-legged visitors to check-in.

We’re also offering advice on how to make a butterfly-friendly garden so you can take part in the count yourselves.

The 56 species of butterflies that are currently in Britain and Ireland are declining rapidly so we thought it would be a good idea to get involved with the Big Butterfly Count and do all we can to educate our customers on how they can attract the insects to their gardens in order to take part.

We’ll be on-hand to answer any questions you might have as well as advise you on the best plants to grow to attract the insects.
   
The Big Butterfly Count is a nationwide survey aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment. It was launched in 2010 and has become the world’s biggest survey of butterflies.

More than 52,000 people took part in 2015, counting more than 580,000 individual butterflies and day-flying moths across the UK.

Butterflies are extremely important to gardeners because as they feed on nectar they transfer pollen on their bodies and legs from one plant to another.

We hope lots of you come along to learn more about how you can help. It’s important for us all to do our bit when it comes to welcoming this new style of holidaymaker to the county.