Insects have to survive the whole year - spring, summer, autumn and winter. Our by-pass is managed to provide the safest habitat possible for a rich diversity of insect life throughout the seasons. Insects have several different stages during the year - egg, larva, chrysalis and adult - for feeding, growing, courting, dispersal to new areas, hibernating and egg-laying.

Although many flowers provide a nectar source for adult butterflies to drink, the caterpillar (larva) stage of each insect is much more particular about what plant leaves it can eat. Most species of wild flowers have their own limited number of insects which can feed on them.