What trees do green caterpillars feed on

[Thistledo]

I'm hoping to plant a few trees, I would prefer to plant trees that will provide a food source for bluetits etc. I know Bluetit breeding is timed to take advantage of the green caterpillar but don't know what trees the insects feed on. Can anyone offer any advice please, location is the Edinburgh area.


Bob

[Picidae]

Isn't it Great Tits that time their breeding according to caterpillar availability? Could be mistaken. Perhaps its both.

Anyway, a good start would be Silver Birch, an excellent indigenous tree that supports an enormous variety of insects and invertebrates. It was the first tree I ever planted in my garden - good choice for a garden too as it's foliage does not block out too much light for neighbours. You could consider some Common Hawthorn as hedging (supports caterpillars and aphids as well as providing berries in the autumn). Goat Willow could be another choice will attract bees too as well as providing caterpillars. A few stinging nettle patches for fat juicy green Cabbage White caterpillars (I planted some in a large tub to prevent spreading). Buddlia - attractive and will attract Red Admirals, hopefully to lay eggs! A Holly tree, again, for tempting little green caterpillars and berries - Holly Blues have two broods, so plant Ivy too as they will use this to lay on for a late summer brood which will be the ones that will overwinter.

Of course, you can't beat a good solid old fashioned Oak tree but they take a few hundred years to mature and can grow quiet large in the meantime!

Unfortunately, whatever you plant, it can all be undermined by bad weather during breeding season.

[poppingjay]

I was quite lucky with my garden as I inherited a big bramley apple tree that must be over a hundred years old and is well clad in ivy. Lots of different birds have fun eating the ivy berries and the windfall apples. I've since planted a silver birch, a twisted willow (doesn't grow too massive) both seem very attractive to the birds, sparrows and blue tits are always dangling off the branches nibbling at something. Hollies are good too because they are predator proof, I've got a large bushy one that I've put my feeders next too, at this time of year it's full of young sparrows. They also seem to like the seed heads of buddleia and over the winter coal tits visited to poke about on them.

For green caterpillars specifically it might be an idea to plant a few cabbages, within a few weeds you'd have your very own caterpillar factory