WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

I have been doing late-season bumblebee surveys over the past few days for our farmer cluster and it’s noticeable that there are many fewer about than two months ago. There are, of course, fewer flowers to attract them now, with the knapweed and ox-eye daisies all but over, but the bees’ annual cycles are coming to an end, too.

We are often urged to mow field margins in late June, to stimulate a second flush of flowering, but is this a good idea? It’s true that most pheasants and partridges will be hatched, but there are always some second tries, and it is still nesting time for the likes of yellowhammer and corn bunting, so their nests are very much at risk. Extra late flowers might help a few honeybees, and there are always hoverflies to think about, but in their case, weedy stubbles full of mayweeds are a better resource that we could provide more of.