WE have had a lot of insects including bees this year- admittedly, mostly different sorts of bumblebees and small solitary bees, but also some honeybees on the lavender on sunny days. We do garden deliberately for insects mind.
Butterflies this season have included several of the vanessids including an early comma, 3 whites including orange tip, blues and browns including gatekeeper and ringlet. We've had 2 dragons and 3 damsels around the pond. There are beetles I can't name, various attractive spiders and moths. Thanks to all that help we have a bumper crop of apples and the tomatoes are setting fruit well.
However, this is a very localised population as many neighbours' gardens are pretty sterile places, with striped lawns, block paved fronts and tight-flowered bedding plants.
One of the biggest bee magnets is an invasive species- Himalayan Balsam. We clear it every year but often too late- we want the bees to have their fill and before we know it seeds have set, pathing the way to next year's invasion.
Bertie, Itchen Valley.
Retire while you can still press the 'retire now' button.