Where are they?

[spanish_gardener]

I haven't seen a ladybird, bee, bumblebee or butterfly in the past three years. This year I built myself bees and ladybirds wooden houses, sow their favourite flowers and plants,... I even have lots of aphids in my strawberries. I don't know if it is too early due to the bad weather...

[Verinda]

We have lots of white butterflies and tortoise shell butterflies and bumble bees. I haven't seen a ladybird, it might be a bit early. I don't think there are any bees left in the wild, only bee hive bees.

I hope some wildlife will take advantage of your boxes!

[rustylady]

I've seen a couple of ladybirds, several tortoiseshell butterflies and a few whites. Both bumble and honeybees have been visiting my fruit trees and bushes.

Not as many as usual I think, but it's been very cold and wet this year.

BTW, bumble bees are wild bees - they don't live in hives.

[Bren In Pots]

We've seen a fair few cabbage whites, one orange tip and a couple of tortoiseshell butterflies, plenty of bees but no ladybirds yet.

[darcyvuqua]

Loads of cabbage whites no ladybirds and 2 bees

[Verinda]

BTW, bumble bees are wild bees - they don't live in hives.[/QUOTE]

Oh yes, I should have said that I haven't seen any honey bees, I don't think there are any living in the wild anymore? Which is awful.

[bearded bloke]

I THINK I saw a wood white at Powys last weekend little bugger was camera shy & my memory is not great this may be handy link for some ......... UK Butterflies

[veggiechicken]

Plenty of bumbles and small bees around and a few flutterbys. Haven't seen a ladybird yet and saw very few last year either

[Gearoid]

I saw a ladybird this afternoon. I was on high alert for lily beetles but luckily it was just a ladybird. I've had plenty of bees and butterflies around too.

[Nicos]

Yeh...I'd forgotten about lily beetles Gearoid....we normally have problems with them!

Clearly not around here yet.

...black aphids have suddenly shown an appearance this week though!...apple tree and mock orange especially at the moment.
My sacrificial nasturtiums are only about 2" high!!! ( so not much use yet then!)

[Martin H]

I've never seen a Wood White BB, no ticks in my butterfly book for that one!

This year so far on my allotment I've seen peacock, brimstone, comma, small tortoiseshell, orange tip and holly blue. Also either small or green-veined white, didn't get close enough to be sure which.

I've got plenty of aphids (on raspberries, roses and lupins mainly) and have seen a few ladybirds too. The bumble bees were out in numbers this evening on my raspberries.

[Chef_uk]

Not seen a ladybird for months.

[veggiechicken]

I had a black beetle crawling on me tonight - does that count? It was on my neck
He moved too fast for a decent photo, especially after I'd flipped him off my head

[Two_Sheds]

I haven't seen a ladybird, bee, bumblebee or butterfly in the past three years.

What's your surrounding area like?
The whole area needs to be wildlife-friendly, or at least to have WF areas or corridors

Something as simple as the council allowing grass verges to grow tall & flower, would be hugely beneficial to our struggling insects.

No insects = no birds or bats


It's been really too cold this year so far for many insects, and the cool wet summers have killed off many of our butterflies

My plot (photos in links below) is usually humming with bees this time of year, but so far, very few.

[lottie dolly]

Most things seem to be less of this year,so far that is,although the plot oposit me has comfrey a little ahead of mine,teeming with little bee's,so i have decided to let mine grow a bit,to attract them,suppose i could cut the leaves and leave the flower stems,maybe we need MORE warmer weather to attract them,after all,no sun no flowers,therefore no food or insentive to come out of winter mode,