I noticed that many of the plants with a label of being wild-life friendly are totally ignored by any kind of wild-life like Euryops pectinatus.
There are definitely plant heirarchies of choice for pollinators - they will choose the blooms that give them most and keep going to that one plant over others. I notice it where sedum, Rozanne, centranthus ruber and erigeron are planted in the same bed. I see large bees go for the Rozanne nearly every time, even though the other three plants offer good pollen and nectar. Somehow the Rozanne is an easier or better investment for their precious energy.
Also micro life maybe choosing the other plants - not so noticable as larger honey bees or bumbles, for examples. Beetles, flies, hoverflies and micro bees are important pollinators too, but I have to get down on hands and knees to watch them explore flower heads of the erigeron or dead nettle.
@thevictorian It maybe that better forage sources have appeared locally and larger bees are choosing that. It may change through the summer, as one source goes over, and yours become the next best choice. It might be interesting to note which kinds of bees are using the hydrangea. And to see what changes next year.
I have a new salvia Nachtvlinder, which is getting all the attention at home, now that the alliums have gone over. I have veronica longifolia at the front which created a feeding frenzy last year - the neighbourhood went manic.
@LeadFarmer I bought a Linaria Canon Went last year which is around 60cm high. This was the number one for all bees I found the newest addition at a plant fair on Sunday and it was just what I needed to have a taller plant. Toadflax is the common name.
@Fire Yes, while taking dried Echinacea flowers in Autumn, I had little tiny insects in each of them. So far, I don’t only look for bees. For example, the common flies love my Euphorbia. I have never seen any animal on a common dandelion, even the tiny ones can’t be found. I have the impression that dandelions are overestimated.
But I read recently that the RHS is going through their lists and want to replace some of the plants which turned out not to be as friendly as they thought.
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@thevictorian It maybe that better forage sources have appeared locally and larger bees are choosing that. It may change through the summer, as one source goes over, and yours become the next best choice. It might be interesting to note which kinds of bees are using the hydrangea. And to see what changes next year.
Yes.
I have never seen any animal on a common dandelion, even the tiny ones can’t be found. I have the impression that dandelions are overestimated.
I ♥ my garden.