Dive into the Butterfly Half Hour: Discover Today’s Enchanting Butterflies

The goal of the Butterfly Half Hour is to bring awareness to these delicate yet fascinating insects and to encourage efforts for their protection and the preservation of their habitats. When we think of butterflies, we often picture them fluttering in a vibrant meadow filled with flowers, which is indeed where many species thrive.

However, we can also discover unique butterfly species in forests, marshes, or dry rocky areas. These marvelous creatures inhabit both lowlands and mountainous regions, and their life stages can be found on various plants, in the air, and even underground.

Butterflies are not only stunning but also quite fragile. Their populations are declining due to the loss of flowering meadows, unsuitable land management practices, and climate changes. Sadly, at least 11% of butterfly species have completely vanished from our country. But your half hour of observation can make a difference — every record holds scientific significance and aids in conservation efforts. Even if you don’t spot any butterflies, that information is still valuable!

So, how can you observe butterflies? Choose a lovely sunny day. The perfect temperature range is between 20 to 30°C, with clear or partly cloudy skies and little to no wind. You can observe from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, though it’s important to remember that butterflies often take a break around noon. Print out a form to use and spend 30 minutes observing your surroundings. Make sure to get a new form for each day or different location and record details such as the weather, date, and where you are observing.

Everyone can assist butterflies

One of the best ways you can help butterflies is through your garden. Rural gardens and orchards make up about 5% of the land in our country. With the right care, these areas can serve as havens for butterflies, bumblebees, and other beneficial creatures. Let’s revitalize Czech gardens! While a neatly trimmed lawn might look appealing to humans, it can feel like a barren desert for wildlife. Frequent trimming damages flowering plants, as they don’t get enough time to seed, leading to grasses and ground cover taking over. To create a garden filled with blooming flowers and butterflies, it’s essential to keep grass growth in check and promote the blossoming of flowers. The key is to avoid cutting everything down all at once. A flowering meadow also attracts insects, which in turn draw animals that feed on them, like songbirds, lizards, bats, and various others.

Excellent nectar and pollen sources for butterflies include highly aromatic plants, especially those that attract pollinators (e.g., sweet clover, lemon balm, mint, sage, chamomile), as well as herbs that are myrrh-loving (such as dill, coriander, and chervil). Other great options are cornflowers, lavender, and mugwort. Cannabis plants can also be beneficial, along with daisies, sunflowers, and monthly blooms. Furthermore, butterflies are drawn to specific food plants where they lay their eggs and that the caterpillars will later consume (like daisies, scorpion weed, vetch, fennel, nettle, or hawthorn). They may also seek dry shelters where they can survive the winter, including soil or decaying wood. Autumn-blooming herbs can assist ever-watchful butterflies in managing through a delayed winter; examples include grassland, deafness, hen, or heather.

Join Butterfly Watching Events and Help Protect Their Habitats

Take part in spring and summer butterfly watching events, contribute to saving their natural habitats, and experience the beauty of colorful, blooming gardens.

Observation Periods

• Spring: May 26 – June 1, 2025

• Summer: July 14 – July 20, 2025

About the Butterfly Half Hour
The main goal of the Butterfly Half Hour is to gather detailed information about butterflies in our country, highlight their decline, support conservation efforts, and share interesting facts about their lives.

How and Where to Watch

• Butterflies can be observed in gardens, meadows, parks, or even while walking around your neighborhood.

• The best days for butterfly watching are sunny, with temperatures between 20°C and 30°C, partly cloudy or clear skies, and light winds.

• Ideal observation times are between 10am and 5pm, but remember that butterflies may rest around midday.

How to Help Butterflies in Your Garden

• Avoid mowing too often or too short.

• Encourage flowering plants.

• Provide winter shelters, such as piles of leftover wood or designated spaces in the attic.

Every Observation Counts
Even if you don’t spot any butterflies, reporting this information is valuable. It helps map areas where butterfly populations may be declining.