Grow Your Own Magazine

I saw my first bumble bee in February this year, but since then nothing. There just don't seem to be any insects about at all yet, beneficial or otherwise. Is it just the weather, do you think? Or is this just a problem to my area, it has been incredibly cold for the time of year?

We seem to have quite a healthy bumble bee population round our way.
It could be that the flowers that were providing nectar in your area have now stopped flowering and there is nothing to follow at the moment. Bumble bees will fly when it is really quite cold and dark! The wind will not have helped the insects at all. I think like us they are waiting for it to warm up and that awful wind to stop bashing us!

I feel so sorry for the poor Bees when it's windy, I find so many that seem exhausted and just die, I always try to put some sugar water by them and sometimes that's enough to get them on their way again......I'm such a softy!!!

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

I think the insects in our area are a bit slow to arrive this year too. I've seen a few bumblebees but only saw my first red-tailed bumblebee this week which is later than normal & have only seen 3 butterflies so far which is unusual, a small white, a tiny blue & one which might have been a peacock but flew off before I got a good look. I think it is the weather as it's been very windy & the temperature keeps changing, we've usually seen lots more by now.

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Into every life a little rain must fall.

I rescued one last weekend, it was on its last legs, gave it some sugary water and popped it into our double glazed porch, which was quite warm, it was happy as larry 30 mins later.

had a wasp in the green house this afternoon,,hubby chased it out,no way was i letting it share the hot chocolate he got for me,had 3 bees the other week,and a beautiful coloured butterfly,it was hibernating?,in the larger seed trays so just left it,i will remember about the sugar water,as i have in the past come accross the very big bees,that seem to be stuned,is good to have the info,to at least try it.

Sugary water really can revive them, I usually pick them up and if they let go, (they do grip!) put them somewhere sheltered with some sugary water, it's lovely to watch them lick is all up then fly off after a little rest!

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Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result

Peanut aka Joanna

me too I do just the same..... its a wonderful feeling!