Autumn butterflies

It's a cold day, but there are still butterflies flying and feeding on ivy flowers when the sun comes out.  These two red admirals blend in well with the ivy and the hawthorn berries. 

Red admirals feeding on ivy

Ivy is a good source of nectar for butterflies that have a late flight season like these red admirals.  They will feed on other late flowering plants, like Michaelmas daisies, but they also drink the sugary liquid from fallen apples and fruit that is left to rot.  If you have a fruit tree in your garden, try leaving some of the fallen fruit for autumn butterflies, wasps and birds to feed on.