[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[Weststander]

It's been an exceptional summer here for the numbers and species of bees, moths and butterflies. Amazing. Not just our garden, but neighbours too.

Anyone else here seeing something similar?

 

[A mex eyecan]

It's been an exceptional summer here for the numbers and species of bees, moths and butterflies. Amazing. Not just our garden, but neighbours too.

Anyone else here seeing something similar?

yes, commentated on the amount of differing butterflies, many of which i don’t recall seeing before.
Alas though, also suffering from those bl88dy box moths. Darn things just about striped 2 rows of box leaves from lovely established hedges which I had grown from cuttings many years ago. All that nurturing now just all gone.
If only other people had been squashing them

 

[Weststander]

yes, commentated on the amount of differing butterflies, many of which i don’t recall seeing before.
Alas though, also suffering from those bl88dy box moths. Darn things just about striped 2 rows of box leaves from lovely established hedges which I had grown from cuttings many years ago. All that nurturing now just all gone.
If only other people had been squashing them

I'd never planted Box, the two cubes went in May 2021, they were decimated within months but naively I didn't realise moth caterpillars were the cause. Emigres from @WATFORD zero !

I don't want to waste years in warfare against them, so I'll plant an alternative.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

I'm Team Apricot!

Small update. This tree has fruited again. It's a nectarine! Too bloody high to pick, but little beauties.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Nice visitor indoors this evening.
Sorry folks, but they're little stunners and I don't like killing anything, so I've dutifully released him to do his thing

View attachment 163411

I've got a few of those myself, I prefer mine to yours Sorry

I'd never planted Box, the two cubes went in May 2021, they were decimated within months but naively I didn't realise moth caterpillars were the cause. Emigres from @WATFORD zero !

I don't want to waste years in warfare against them, so I'll plant an alternative.

They're not from mine, no little bugger is getting out of my garden alive. Because I was prepared for them this year I had pheromone traps out early and gave a dose of nematodes at the first sign of the caterpillars and seem to be on top at the moment.

It is actually quite a hassle and not cheap to stop them, but I must have over 20m of trimmed box hedging plus a couple of variegated specimen plants that have grown over 15-20 years.

And no Johnny come lately chinese bloody caterpillar is going to munch through that

Although I wouldn't plant box again now

 

[Weststander]

I've got a few of those myself, I prefer mine to yours Sorry

View attachment 163789View attachment 163790



They're not from mine, no little bugger is getting out of my garden alive. Because I was prepared for them this year I had pheromone traps out early and gave a dose of nematodes at the first sign of the caterpillars and seem to be on top at the moment.

It is actually quite a hassle and not cheap to stop them, but I must have over 20m of trimmed box hedging plus a couple of variegated specimen plants that have grown over 15-20 years.

And no Johnny come lately chinese bloody caterpillar is going to munch through that

Although I wouldn't plant box again now

I thought you were in The League Against Cruel Sports

 

[The Grockle]

It's been an exceptional summer here for the numbers and species of bees, moths and butterflies. Amazing. Not just our garden, but neighbours too.

Anyone else here seeing something similar?

I suspect there's a direct correlation between higher numbers of insects and gardening trends leaning towards more natural planting schemes including wildflowers and species that insects are fond of.

Our neighbours planted two budlias and they are an absolute magnate for bees and butterflies, we planted 15 verbena bonariensis and there's a noticeable increase in butterflies visiting since.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I thought you were in The League Against Cruel Sports

But they are an invasive species, besides which they are pheromone traps so at least all those males died happy

I have been considering moving house and then the whole box hedging thing would be the new owner's problem

On the bright side, the garden is teeming with butterflies, I just counted 10 red admirals on one of my buddleias and I have loads of solitary various bees, some of which are enormous and you could probably hear from yours

 

[Weststander]

But they are an invasive species, besides which they are pheromone traps so at least all those males died happy

I have been considering moving house and then the whole box hedging thing would be the new owner's problem

On the bright side, the garden is teeming with butterflies, I just counted 10 red admirals on one of my buddleias and I have loads of solitary various bees, some of which are enormous and you could probably hear from yours

The best summer I can recall for bees and butterflies, amazing.

 

[Creaky]

Is there any way of getting rid of invasive brambles / wild roses? I have them growing through rhododendrons, laurels other shrubs and even hanging out of the tops of fir trees. I can't get to the roots or even the base of the buggers without getting shredded.

From personal experience I think it is unlikely that trying to dig all the roots out is practical without damaging the shrubs and trees if the problem is as bad as you describe.

When we first moved to our current home we literally had acres of brambles, wild roses and blackthorn. The most successful method we had to remove them was to use a digger to get them out - even so young shoots appeared in the spring which we treated with glyphosate. It took about 5 years to eradicate them completely.

If you don’t want to damage your shrubs then the best method may be to just cut all the current top growth down to ground level then as new shoots appear treat with a systemic herbicide such as glyphosate. Whichever way you go you may be in for the long haul - good luck

 

[Weststander]

From personal experience I think it is unlikely that trying to dig all the roots out is practical without damaging the shrubs and trees if the problem is as bad as you describe.

When we first moved to our current home we literally had acres of brambles, wild roses and blackthorn. The most successful method we had to remove them was to use a digger to get them out - even so young shoots appeared in the spring which we treated with glyphosate. It took about 5 years to eradicate them completely.

If you don’t want to damage your shrubs then the best method may be to just cut all the current top growth down to ground level then as new shoots appear treat with a systemic herbicide such as glyphosate. Whichever way you go you may be in for the long haul - good luck

My early suggestion here was to remove the vast majority of above ground growth, deliberately leaving a bit for Glyphospate. This can be done in way where the chemical doesn’t touch prized shrubs. Will likely take a few treatments, as the roots will be well established. There’s a stronger solution if need be.

Not ideal to use a chemical with well known alleged risks, but it could solve this.

 

[Wardy's twin]

The best summer I can recall for bees and butterflies, amazing.

Quite weird really because April/May it seemed there were no bees and few butterflies around but in the last 3 weeks we are seeing an explosion of them. There's a lot of red admirals around in my garden (woodingdean) normally I only see them in October when they come for the IVY flowers. Seeing less blue ( i know there were various types) and the numbers of whites only just appearing. Went for a walk near the cemetery up here and saw quite a few types in the recently wilded area. will publish some pics in the photography thread.

 

[jevs]

Quite weird really because April/May it seemed there were no bees and few butterflies around but in the last 3 weeks we are seeing an explosion of them.

After a slow start, it's probably one of the best years i've seen for insects. Had a walk round the Rockery last week and it was absolutely teeming with life.

 

[Wardy's twin]

After a slow start, it's probably one of the best years i've seen for insects. Had a walk round the Rockery last week and it was absolutely teeming with life.

yeah really weird.....

 

[Jack Straw]

Working in my friend's garden at Burgess Hill this week, I saw loads of Gatekeepers, Brimstone, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Peacock, Painted Lady, Small White, but just a few bees.

 

[1066familyman]

The best summer I can recall for bees and butterflies, amazing.

The Buddleia's at work in particular have been alive with butterflies this year.

Had this gorgeous creature pop in to say hello in person today

 

[Weststander]

The Buddleia's at work in particular have been alive with butterflies this year.

Had this gorgeous creature pop in to say hello in person today

View attachment 164211

So tame!

We’ll do the butterflies survey in a sunny spell this weekend, not taken part before.

A couple of stunning bumblebees were feasting on Agapanthus all afternoon, here’s one of the pair.

 

[jakarta]

Finally getting some insects into RH20, must have been on their bug holidays...

 

[LamieRobertson]

So tame!

We’ll do the butterflies survey in a sunny spell this weekend, not taken part before.

A couple of stunning bumblebees were feasting on Agapanthus all afternoon, here’s one of the pair.

View attachment 164212

Had about 20 or so on my lavender

 

[The Grockle]

My phone was inside on charge but I counted 27 bees on our salvia hot lips during a rare bit of sunshine today.

A noticible increase in bats this year too.
Not sure many are squeezed into our small bat box but I'd guess a fair few.

Managed to get a slow motion video the other night.