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Bees and Butterflies

DaisydayDaisyday Posts: 373
in Talkback

I read in today's newspaper that Bees and Butterflies are doing much better this summer and their numbers are up. Perhaps we blame ourselves too much when there is a decline as the weather seems to have a lot to do with it. I certainly have seen lots of bees and some butterflies around though like other people, no ladybirds. I think these were killed off by our atrocious spring when they woke up from hibernation. Of course it is no bad thing to cut down on sprays and grow suitable plants for insects but it is heartening to know that Mother Nature gives a helping hand now and again when needed.

Posts

  • flowering roseflowering rose Posts: 1,632

    when I was up on the mendips the other week,I saw mass of black butterflies more than I have seen for ages and some more common types and a massive dragonfly.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,312

    Last year was awful, this year is not good. I haven't seen any blue butterflies, a fraction of the number of other species we were seeing a few years ago. very few dragonflies and far fewer damsel flies. It's not all down to our poisons, there's loss of habitat and weather. Our use of poisons is one thing we can alter though.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • chickychicky Posts: 10,396

    I've seen lots of bees and butterflies this year - but complete absence of ladybirds.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,312

    Yes, very poor for ladybirds here



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,282

    I had aphids on the teasels, then the ladybirds arrived, and now no aphids and the ladybirds have moved on.The bees are loving the teasels now, as they have started flowering.image

    I seem to have mainly white butterflies this year so far. Mostly under the net protecting the cabbage from pigeons.image

  • flowersforbeesflowersforbees Posts: 221

    We spent the day at Minehead yesterday and walked some of the cliff path

    near the golf links there.  We couldn't believe the number of bees and

    butterflies there - it was truly amazing and we saw varieties we never see

    here on the South coast.  Some of the vegetation there was very different

    to what we see here, so I expect that is the reason.

     

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,312

    flowersforbees I've PMd ypu



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • richard_taylorrichard_taylor Posts: 14

    Ladybirds may have been late in hatching.  See this article from this site's home page.

     

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