It is a beautiful evening and the air is heavy with the scent of roses, clover and budlia.
and the garden is alive with insects of all types
Except butterflies.
What's going on here?
X
-
-
jenray
Pro - http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
- 2009-07-03 @ 18:57:31
-
-
QueeneMab
- 2009-07-03 @ 19:12:05
That is a worry. Is there a lot of pesticide being used in your area I wonder?
In our garden today though, it is only butterflies are missing.
There are loads of bees, wasps, greenfly, ladybirds etc etc.
On the ponds and rivers around here there are millions of dragonflies.
But a few weeks back there were loads of caterpillars in the woods so where are all the butterflies now.
X-
-
jenray
Pro
- http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
- 2009-07-03 @ 19:39:58
I don't know whether people used pesticides around here but I doubt it because most of them have bird feeders in their gardens and are generally the type of people who are nature conscious...we do have waterworks over the road from our estate that I do know sprays every year to get rid of the plague of midges that come out around April and there were barely any of these either this year...the swallows arrive to feed their young on them but this year they didn't stay around for long at all...I'm glad to hear that you've got a loads of all those we're missing...LOL...at least they're thriving in some parts of the country...odd that it should be around city suburbs...while we're right on a massive heath and have a dearth of insects...GBHs...XXX
-
-
QueeneMab
- 2009-07-03 @ 20:26:21
We have plenty of gnats too unfortunately.
Strange about the general lack of insect life in your area though.
X -
-
-
-
-
YOUR CATS HAVE EATEN THEM ALL!
-
-
QueeneMab
- 2009-07-03 @ 19:19:13
No they haven't - poor little puss can't catch them with that nasty trumpet on her head and Shipsone is too fat and lazy.
X -
-
-
-
Chyna_Doll
- 2009-07-03 @ 19:15:54
That's true. The only butterly I have seen recently in my garden is the cabbage one if I remember correctly!? (Pure white ones) Haven't seen any other types for a while too
-
-
QueeneMab
- 2009-07-03 @ 19:21:05
Well that is a start.
There were a few earlier in the late spring, but usually we see lots of cabbage white, some red admirals and the odd peacock and a few others.
X -
-
-
-
la_spice
- 2009-07-03 @ 19:17:26
*Ahem* They're over here
-
-
QueeneMab
- 2009-07-03 @ 19:20:10
X -
-
-
I have seen dragonflies and bees galore but not as many butterflies. It is concerning. I have not seen the fireflies yet either and I love them.
-
-
QueeneMab
- 2009-07-03 @ 20:25:13
last time I saw fireflies was in Mexico about 20 years ago.
X -
-
-
-
bunnybunbunbun
- 2009-07-03 @ 21:31:56
We have got loads of all different butterflies and not just because we have been letting them go either because they are coming in all on their own but we was worried for a while because the virus thing that our last caterpillers died of is used for spraying apparently but my friend Helen phoned up The Council and they do not use spray in the graveyard so we are OK.
-
-
QueeneMab
- 2009-07-03 @ 21:50:34
Ah yes Bunny thanks for reminding me about the virus spray. I hope that is not the problem here, but this is not an agricultural area so hopefully it is not the case.
X -
-
-
-
firelight
- 2009-07-03 @ 22:01:16
Come here and you'll see a lot of butterflies in my home garden. Perhaps they all
migrated.
X-
-
QueeneMab
- 2009-07-03 @ 22:17:00
X -
-
-
-
malakeas
Pro - http://www.blog.co.uk/user/malakeas
- 2009-07-04 @ 02:12:03
I haven`t noticed any butterflies out over here either. Molly likes to chase them but never catches them. xxx
-
-
QueeneMab
- 2009-07-04 @ 09:19:31
Strange and worrying.
X -
-
-
-
technomist
- 2009-07-04 @ 21:20:37
We have had plenty in Walthamstow.
-
That's what I've been asking all year...in fact, loads of insects are missing...it's very worrying...moths, bees, very few really, bumble bees, also down in number, no wasps at all, beetles, even spiders are really few and far between, even mosquitos and gnats...nature is suffering and we're ignoring it...GBHs...XXX