Butterflies, special in the garden, beautiful on postage stamps

Butterflies, they are a feast for the eyes. On stamps or in the garden, who doesn't enjoy them? A beautiful insect species that we must cherish. Very cherish, because butterflies in our country are having a hard time. There are even species teetering on the brink of extinction. The Butterfly Foundation therefore does everything it can to protect butterflies. For example, the foundation is holding the garden butterfly count today and tomorrow, on July 31 and August 1.

July 31 and August 1, the garden butterfly count

Because butterflies react quickly to environmental factors and climate change, they are a good indicator of the quality of our living environment. Information about the species and numbers of butterflies in Dutch gardens is therefore important. The Butterfly Foundation is therefore calling on people to participate in the weekend of July 31 and August 1. garden butterfly countBy counting butterflies in your garden, you not only discover more about the richness of your own garden, but you also contribute to greater knowledge about nature and help the Dutch Butterfly Foundation. More about a number of species in the Netherlands below.

Atalanta – admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta)

The Red Admiral was depicted on a stamp by Azerbaijan in both 2002 and 2009. As can be clearly seen on these stamps, the Red Admiral is largely black, with a broad reddish-orange band on each wing and white spots on the tips.

You will encounter them almost everywhere in the Netherlands between April and November. In places with many nectar-rich plants, they often live in large numbers. Red Admirals are migratory butterflies. Every year, large numbers of this species fly from Southern Europe to the Netherlands. The butterflies born here migrate south again in the autumn. Groups of migrating Red Admirals are often observed, especially along the coast. In Southern Europe, this butterfly can overwinter in all stages. In the Netherlands, most caterpillars die in late autumn. In the 2009 Garden Butterfly Count, the Red Admiral finished in third place.

Citroenvlinder (Gonepteryx rhamni)

The yellow brimstone butterflies, pictured above on stamps from Guernsey and Germany, can be found scattered throughout the Netherlands. The males live up to their name and are brightly colored yellow. The females are a somewhat paler yellow to cream-colored. The underside of the wings is greenish in color. Brimstone butterflies live in sunny places in open woodland, along forest edges and fallow fields, but also in parks and gardens. They are mainly found in places where many nectar plants grow. In 2009, the brimstone butterfly was observed most frequently in Drenthe, Overijssel, and Friesland.

Dagpauwoog (Inachis io)

Buzin beautifully depicted the peacock butterfly in 1993. The beautiful color palette of the peacock butterfly is also clearly visible on the Austrian postage stamp from 2005. It is an unmistakable species with a deep red color and a large blue eyespot on each wing. The underside of the wings is black. The butterflies feed on nectar from various plant species. Young caterpillars live in groups in silken nests on the stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). The adult caterpillars are solitary. This butterfly is also found throughout the Netherlands, particularly in rough grasslands, flower-rich edges of woodland and heathlands, dikes, parks, and gardens. The peacock butterfly overwinters as an adult in a damp place in a tree or building and is one of the first to emerge in the spring. In 2009, this butterfly was the second most frequently counted in the garden butterfly count, after the painted lady.

Chopped aurelia (Polygonia c-album)

Until the 1980s, the comma butterfly was rarely observed in the north and west of the Netherlands. Now, the butterfly occurs throughout the Netherlands, especially in parks, gardens, and clearings in the forest. The caterpillars live on the upper side of leaves, where they go unnoticed because they look just like bird droppings. The butterflies themselves are easily recognizable by their 'jagged' wings. On the Iranian stamp, there is more color variation in the butterfly's wings than is actually the case. Equatorial Guinea depicted the comma butterfly perfectly on its stamp. Incidentally, there is a small, striking white C on the underside of the wing. The butterfly overwinters close to the ground, for example on the underside of tree roots, among bundles of branches or fallen leaves, and in hollow trees.

On Dutch stamps: visible everywhere, endangered, extinct

In 1993, the Netherlands issued three stamps featuring butterflies. One stamp depicts the Cabbage White. I believe this is the Small Cabbage White. In my opinion, the color on the stamp does not entirely correspond to the actual color. The Cabbage White can have a somewhat yellowish tint, but it is not as yellow as on this stamp. The stamp states 'visible everywhere,' and it remains so to this day. The butterfly on the second stamp above is the Red Tortoiseshell. It states 'Threatened and Vulnerable.' Unfortunately, the Red Tortoiseshell is currently on the Red List and will likely soon disappear from the Netherlands as a resident butterfly.

The butterfly depicted on the third stamp is the Silver-spotted Black-spot. This species was primarily seen in the Meuse and IJssel Valley, but has disappeared from the Netherlands since 1969. The Red List of Butterflies, which lists threatened and extinct butterfly species, is growing steadily. Hopefully, the work of the Butterfly Foundation can halt this growth.