Native Planting Schemes, for Native Wildlife

[PhilBJohnson]

Interesting work had been done recently, corolating peak native flowering times (when a flower was most nectar, or pollen rich), with peak flight times, for butterfly and moth species.
For example, a White Admiral's flight time, appeared to correlate with a profusion and maximum reward from bramble blooms.
Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (BBBHM)
A Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth was looked at specifically, because it was a day flying moth, with a relatively short flight period, seasonally peaking before many wild flower species, profusion in July. Being a relatively scarce species in the UK, it had a popularity interest and high energy requirements (feeding on the wing).
Butterfly Conservation Reference: February 6th 2020
“feeding on nectar of Honeysuckle in particular, but also Bugle, Ragged Robin, Rhododendron, louseworts and Aubretia.”
Referenced:
https://butterfly-conservation.org/moth ... hb143nsqA4
Planting scheme
I was interested specifically in our UK native florae, to help this species, in the wild, on native woodland edge, where the native florae they used, were not considered invasive species, by a land owner.
Out of that list provided by Butterfly Conservation, Wild Honeysuckle, Bugle and Ragged Robin were UK Native species
Looking at photos of the BBBHM species, Cookoo flower and specific thistle species might also be regularly used.

The importance of this specific study related to helping the species become more abundant and enjoyable to watch on our native woodland edges.
Correlations of UK native species, with flowering times of UK native florae, not only gave clues to how a species might have evolved, but also informed planting schemes.

[Matsukaze]

The evolution of relationships between species goes back far further in time than the establishment of the UK's flora and fauna, and by importing ornamental plants, in some cases we are probably re-creating historic relationships. Rhododendron is as good an example as any - the genus is essentially from montane central Asia and appears to have co-evolved there with bumblebees, which make good use of the plant as a foraging resource. Bee hawk-moths are not bumblebees, but do their best to pretend to be, and make use of many of the same nectar sources - the Victorian collectors knew to search the rhododendron blossoms to find bee hawk-moths.