No insects

[ladycrofter]

Will this is a bit alarming. We were shearing two days ago in a pen in a field carpeted in blooming clover and other flowers. The weather wasn't bad and it wasn't raining. We're in an upland area and what crops are here aren't being sprayed anyway.

During the few hours we were there, we didn't see a single insect. Not one. Not a single bee or butterfly. There were plenty of those annoying headflies around the sheep but that was all. WTF No pollinators, literally.

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

Plenty here but no swallows much to take advantage of them.

 

[farmerm]

The crazies on Facebo ok are blaming farmers for leaving the EU and now claim we are using chemicals that were banned when we were in the EU In past 8 months rainfall has most months been more than double monthly average, light levels are drastically lower than average, temperatures poor… and if my farm is any representation, contrary to public belief chemical use is significantly down not up.

 

[crofteress]

Same here , no midges at all, loads of swallows following me while topping , I hope they are getting something . I think its the cold wet weather. I do have lots of bees now though but usually loads of white butterflies up in the rushes [ that I leave until autumn as I dont like killing butterflies and the flowers] but theres none up there justnow

 

[yellow belly]

Cold wet spring
Insect life cycle will be later

plenty of midges in west Scotland where whey have had warmer dryer weather

 

[Widgetone]

Very few butterflies - buddliers/buddlias/whatever well in flower now and virtually nothing about..

 

[MrNoo]

Very few butterflies - buddliers/buddlias/whatever well in flower now and virtually nothing about..

Snap, but have noticed a few butterflies getting about this last week

 

[Yale]

Trimming some foot rot sheep’s feet last week and the old fella remarked there was hardly a fly bothering us. It’s just wet and cold, insects like warm and settled.

 

[Jonp]

Mostly dusky meadow brown butterflies here and what I call the little white flappy things, grass hoppers and bees not so many and thankfully alot less horse flies. Midges and flies in abundance but I am in the more temperate part of the world in (not so) sunny South Wales.

 

[Forkdriver]

Mostly dusky meadow brown butterflies here and what I call the little white flappy things, grass hoppers and bees not so many and thankfully alot less horse flies. Midges and flies in abundance but I am in the more temperate part of the world in (not so) sunny South Wales.

Same as you except loads of horse flies in West Wales. The bat population seems to have crashed.

 

[texelburger]

We have more than ever.
Ants everywhere,nests along fence lines and getting in the veg garden and houses.Black aphids all over the Beans.Bees everywhere,we've already had 3 swarms trying to get in the house.Also got those solitary bees that make a single hole on the lawn.
As a result there are lots of Sparrows,Finches,wagtails,Robins,Wrens to such an extent they are crap#ing all over the farm machinery in the sheds.It's flipping annoying.

 

[Jonp]

Same as you except loads of horse flies in West Wales. The bat population seems to have crashed.

Come to think of it you're right the bat numbers are alot less than last year, will go out late tonight and check...like the bats.

 

[Brisel]

I spent 5 days driving all across Scotland with a group of like minded petrolhead people last month. I cab assure you that there are plenty of insects left. I had to scrape enough off my car each day! Far more than I seem to collect in Oxfordshire anyway.

 

[Wesley]

Cold wet spring
Insect life cycle will be later

Its exactly this. Every year we look out for caterpillars on stinging nettles as my now 5 year old has a small netted structure & we put some in it to watch them complete their life cycle into butterflies. Far later this year. Only just starting to find them…but they’re still about.

 

[MrNoo]

Crimson Clover is utterly buzzing, amazed how loud all the various bees/insects etc are, clearly audible.

 

[ladycrofter]

Crimson Clover is utterly buzzing, amazed how loud all the various bees/insects etc are, clearly audible.

That is stunning!!

 

[MrNoo]

That is stunning!!

It's even better walking through it!

 

[Brisel]

Crimson Clover is utterly buzzing, amazed how loud all the various bees/insects etc are, clearly audible.

Stunning. What else is in there, apart from the odd poppy & thistle?

 

[MrNoo]

Stunning. What else is in there, apart from the odd poppy & thistle?

Nothing, the odd bit of SB and some BG in the odd place. It's not in a scheme, just a field in front of my house.

 

[richard hammond]

Cold wet spring
Insect life cycle will be later

plenty of midges in west Scotland where whey have had warmer dryer weather

Also to many insecticides used in the past, I believe the long term down turn in populations of all insects is due to over use of un-necessary insecticides,