Brimstone butterfly

 I`d just popped out to the garden to get some washing in -  perfect drying weather! - when I spotted a female brimstone butterfly flying around and alighting on some young alder buckthorns (currently < 1ft high) that I`m growing on for planting locally. Closer inspection revealed that she had been egg-laying - see photo below.

There is no better way to attract brimstones to your garden than planting some alder buckthorn. It`s easy to grow plants from seeds extracted from the berries. Males and female brimstones are consequently very regular at my garden in spring, with lesser numbers of the 2nd generation in late summer.