Dandelion is one of the most useful of all wildflowers
COUNTRY FILE
AT regular intervals through this warmer-than-average winter we have had small tortoiseshell butterflies emerging from their hibernatory corners to flap rather feebly at the window glass in a vain attempt to break through.
Any of these creatures that do find their way outside are unlikely to last long at all. Their strength is feeble and their reserves are but light. Fortunate individuals find their way to the safety of another sheltered corner, but for the majority, the decision to wake early and explore the world will prove to be their undoing.
This year, in an attempt to save as many as we are able, we have been catching those we find drunk on weak sunlight and putting them into the fridge to sober up.
There are two schools of thought in this regard, or even more. “Why would you ever put any kind of fly into the refrigerator?” asks one woman, as if the poor small tortoiseshell carried some kind of deadly plague, or would spoil the tomatoes or eat the cheese.
The good news is that butterflies will do none of these things. Anyway, we don’t just open the door and fire them in to fly free from shelf to shelf. No, they go into a clean plastic container, with a folded paper towel to help them get a grip with their delicate feet. I think it is useful to have a few air holes in the lid. I know that if it was me to be confined in such a way, I should be glad of them.
Temperatures of four celsius are just about right. Much lower and our guest runs the risk of being frozen, and if things are much warmer than that it will be hard for her, or him, to sleep.
It is still too early to simply let any go free, no matter how they clamour at the window glass. Once they find their way into the world outside, the first thing they will need is somewhere to feed.
It won’t be long before the first dandelions are starting to appear. Only when we see these miniature golden suns decorating gardens and laneways can we be sure our butterflies are able to survive their newfound freedom. And only then ought we think about putting them out.
The back end of last summer saw one of the better hatches of small tortoiseshell butterflies that we have enjoyed for years. It is members of this latest brood that will be the forerunners of the generation of 2024. If a good number do survive through to spring proper, we will have the foundation for a bumper butterfly year, for this species at least.
On the subject of dandelions, this is one of the most useful of all our wildflowers. Every part of this plant can be eaten. Roots, leaves and flowers are full of nutrients and vitamins. The leaves are already appearing in good quantities. These are at their best right now, before the first flowers begin to arrive. Eaten young, dandelion leaves are far superior to any form of salad we might buy. In fact, they are closely related to the lettuce that we find on the supermarket shelf.
Once the plants start to flower, the leaves, while still edible, tend to become astringent and rather less tasty. When warmed by the sun, the flowers are especially tasty, although the green calyx should be removed from each before they are thrown into salad or sandwich.
It is worth remembering that other creatures, many of them tiny, also find the flowers of dandelion good to eat. If we allow the flowers to wilt a little, any flying insects hidden among the tiny petals will make their own way out.
As for the roots, these were once roasted and ground to make rich beverage, something like coffee. That is what is claimed by some, although most who have tried dandelion coffee are likely to disagree as to the quality of this. Otherwise, roast the roots a little less long and eat them as you would tiny parsnips. Maybe you would like them. Probably you won’t.