Author Topic: No Pollinating Insects  (Read 2284 times)

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
No Pollinating Insects
« on: 07 June, 2018, 10:33:43 am »

I visited this parcel of land next to the M25 at South Ockendon, Essex today. I stood there for 15 minutes and I didn't see a single bee, hoverfly or butterfly. despite the weather being warm with a light breeze.

I was quite astonished, as I was expecting it to be full of life.

Has anybody else noticed such a dramatic decline in the insect population like this ?


Re: No Pollinating Insects
« Reply #1 on: 07 June, 2018, 10:45:02 am »
I noticed this around the time that hawthorn was in peak bloom. The flowers were lasting longer than normal, and turning pink. I put it down to the March cold snap, and the prolonged dry spell in May.

I was inspired to make a short film about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BZtcjy_NG8

Lots of flowering plants have become 'leggy', as they tend to grow until they're pollinated, then put their resources into developing seed.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: No Pollinating Insects
« Reply #2 on: 07 June, 2018, 10:46:28 am »
I think they're all too busy headbutting me when I'm riding my bike...

I've not seen any bees at home this year, which is unusual, and fewer butterflies generally.

Chris N

Re: No Pollinating Insects
« Reply #3 on: 07 June, 2018, 10:47:44 am »
Loads of bees, some hoverflies and a few butterflies in my garden at the moment. :thumbsup:

ian

Re: No Pollinating Insects
« Reply #4 on: 08 June, 2018, 10:56:03 am »
Sadly, despite a lot of my garden being in flower, not a lot of pollination activity either, which is troubling. Normally I'd be watching the cats chase and fail to catch bumble bees. Don't recall seeing any and there's nothing out there at the moment.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: No Pollinating Insects
« Reply #5 on: 08 June, 2018, 11:16:12 am »
Distinct paucity of butterflies this year, and mostly cabbage whites where there are any. Bees don't seem too diminished.  In this last week we've had three 2" hornets in the house. They're dead easy to get out, though: open a window, wave something like a newspaper in their vicinity, and off they go.

ETA: just been checking: in 2010 I wrote a piece about the sudden decline in pollinators visiting our buddleia.  We used to get swallowtails, FFS.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: No Pollinating Insects
« Reply #6 on: 09 June, 2018, 01:45:37 pm »
With the conditions describes as warm and breezy it is very possible the nectaries had dried out and the bees were busy elsewhere on a productive location.

There are more factors than you might think.

PH
Bees do nothing invariably.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: No Pollinating Insects
« Reply #7 on: 09 June, 2018, 01:57:15 pm »
Maybe, but when I see only two butterflies on a ride of > 100 km something's up.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: No Pollinating Insects
« Reply #8 on: 09 June, 2018, 02:30:53 pm »
I wasn't commenting on butterflies as they are outwith my expertise such as it is with bees. :)

PH
Bees do nothing invariably.

vorsprung

  • Opposites Attract
    • Audaxing
Re: No Pollinating Insects
« Reply #9 on: 09 June, 2018, 03:57:09 pm »
Spring was late this year and there seem to be less bugs in general including bees

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: No Pollinating Insects
« Reply #10 on: 10 June, 2018, 06:31:34 pm »
Some good news on the butterfly front......

Spotted in the garden, a White Letter Hairstreak.


PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: No Pollinating Insects
« Reply #11 on: 10 June, 2018, 07:39:36 pm »
Loads of bees in the garden today