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Have you seen many bees this July

ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
in Wildlife gardening
Hi all, I live in Hertfordshire, St Albans. In may and June I saw quite a few bees, but this July (2018) I simply have not seen any. I am out every day, and have a medium size garden full of interest and partially in flower. My Bhuddlia has butterflies, as do my cabbages (alas) but no bees?
As a young boy living in London, crickets and grasshoppers were everywhere, so were sparrows and London was infested with pigeons - will  bees be next? 

Have you seen any? 

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Posts

  • Valley GardenerValley Gardener Rhondda ValleyPosts: 2,685
    Definitely not as many this month,several different ones in May and June.A lot more butterflies though.
    The whole truth is an instrument that can only be played by an expert.
  • ObelixxObelixx Vendée, Western FrancePosts: 28,545
    Loads more here this month than last but then we had lots of rain and cool weather till the 3rd week of June.   Wildflowers out in force now and lots of insects.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 274
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  • FireFire North LondonPosts: 17,116
     I was in Sissinghurst and Dixter a month ago and looked and saw few. In the meadows, walled gardens, veg plots - they were missing.

    I'm seeing a lot on my garden in the last two weeks. But on specific plants. Linaria, borage, salvia.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 82,096
    Lots and lots of bumbles and various solitary bees on delphiniums, salvias, roses, thalictrums, lupins etc and lots buzzing around the outdoor tomatoes and beans. 
    Not seen a lot of honeybees recently, but we're on the edge of farming country and I expect the hives are in the pea and oilseed rape fields. 
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • FireFire North LondonPosts: 17,116
    Lots of butterflies by me recently. I wish my identification skills were better. Some are laying on my nasturtiums. The underside of the leaves are covered with eggs. I let them be.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 82,096
    Cabbage whites lay eggs on nasturtiums ... when @WonkyWomble was a little girl she had a garden full of nasturtiums ... the caterpillars ate them all ... so she told folk she had a butterfly farm  :tired_face:
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    Yes, I have nets over my cabbages, since they were demolished by these little angels. I have nasturiums growing like weeds everywhere, in my borders, compost heaps and they even sneak inthto the tomatoe pots in the greenhouse, I love them though and rarely cut them down. I hope they act as decoy for the Cabbage whites!
  • TopbirdTopbird Mid SuffolkPosts: 7,571
    Lots of bees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths here😊
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • pansyfacepansyface PEAK DISTRICT DerbyshirePosts: 21,177
    There was a dearth of anything flying and pollinating around here until mid June. Then a chap in the village installed two hives and we noticed a difference immediately. Not only honey bees but many different types of bumblebee.

    The badger has dug up two bumblebee nests in our garden and eaten the grubs.

    A fair number of butterflies - though no peacocks so far.

    Very few hoverflies.

    Far too many horseflies.
    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
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