Where are the insects this year ?

[Biloute]

In the spring of 2024, the mason bees appeared as usual to our great delight. But, during the summer so far, and unlike other summers, I have not seen any bees, hornets (european or asian) , or wasps at all. Only 1 or 2 carpenter bees. However, our garden is full of cultivated and wild flowers... Our enormous buddleia, usually covered in butterflies, is desperately empty. Same for the hibiscus; 2 or 3 bumblebees at most. Usually, because of the neighboring farms, we were invaded by millions of flies: this year, only a few handfuls. How can this be explained ? Is it specific to our village in Vendée ? Do you notice the same thing at home ?

[Wilbro]

We are the same here, as we sat out last evening in the sun we commented on the same things, few butterflies, bees, wasps, hornets, insects etc. Cleaning dead insects from the car windscreen is no longer a problem as it was when we first moved here.
Humans are trashing the environment and we live in a Bio area, no pesticides at all used, but the general global effect has hit everywhere.

[Headers]

We have well and truly mucked up the world in its current form but don’t worry,I watched BBC programme Life the other evening and we are such a small and insignificant puff of existence in terms of the lifespan of this planet that when it gets really fed up and presses the reset button all will be well again.
By the way we have lots of insects but not as many as previous years although there is an over abundance of deaths head hawk moth caterpillars.

[Polly]

No, Biloute, not at all just around you - this has been worrying me an awful lot here in Berkshire in the south of England. Our garden has been organic for nearly 40 years, yet we’re seeing so few insects. We don’t seem to get many splats on our car nowadays, not even when we’ve driven long distances.

I’ve seen far fewer bees than normal - will we have shortages of honey? I’m allergic to wasp stings, so I’m extremely aware when wasps are anywhere around me - but have only seen 3 this summer.

We have several buddleia bushes (‘butterfly bushes’) in our garden - I haven't seen one butterfly on them this year, so very unusual.

Insects are food for other creatures, pollinators of wildflowers and of our crops - the lack of them is extremely worrying. Numbers of insects have been falling for many years but seems to have accelerated more recently.

[Biloute]

We are the same here, as we sat out last evening in the sun we commented on the same things, few butterflies, bees, wasps, hornets, insects etc. Cleaning dead insects from the car windscreen is no longer a problem as it was when we first moved here.
Humans are trashing the environment and we lie in a Bio area, no pesticides at all used, but the general global effect has hit everywhere.

Here too, the farmers are very respectful of the environment: hedges everywhere for birds to nest, lots of small ponds for animals to drink, livestock raised on pastures, no insecticides. It would be shameful if farmers from elsewhere, practicing intensive cultivation using tons of chemicals, came and wiped out wildlife here!

[Quiksilver]

It's swings and roundabouts here. Until this week, no frelons and very few wasps. No daddy-long-legs this year, perhaps the new family of hoopoes did a very good job of clearing up leatherjackets? Plenty of bees of all descriptions, especially honey bees on the mostly clover lawn. Far more flies than usual. All the same old pest insects, probably revelling in the lack of wasps to clear them up.
I don't believe it's anything agriculteurs have or have not done. The spring was unusually cold and wet and even recently the nights have been unseasonally chilly. It's noticeable that wasps and hornets need a warm spring to get going early but they were repeatedly knocked back so are only just now building up numbers.

[Lori]

Well they must have all migrated here. We have an unending supply of everything under the sun. The ones I hate the most are the horse flies and the hornets. I have to be very careful what time of day I work in the garden or swim. I will be attacked by a number of beasts if I work during the midday hours.

[Hotrodder]

Here in the wilderness the only change I have noticed this year is a reduction in the number of flies. Our second Redtop fly trap is only half full. Most unusual considering how much poo is distributed on the fields nearby. We have plentiful butterflies and bees, etc. I see our infestation of Asian hornets is back at the top of the chinmey, contrary to what I read that they don't return to the same place twice. It was a battle last year when they were finding their way into the house.

[Blaze]

We are certainly not seeing the variety of butterflies and other insects that we have in the past. There have been plenty of beetles, bees and andrena of different varieties though perhaps not as numerous as in the past.
Very few wasps - the paper wasps seen earlier seem to have vanished and I haven't seen a single hornet this year.

Ou flowering shrubs seem to attract spiders, insects and butterflies but the packets of wildflower seeds are utterly useless. The insects don't go near them. There's a large patch of wild flowers near Saint Malo (probably grown for the seeds) but not a sound or sight of an insect.
The beetles (coléoptères) love the big daisies and another plant that looks like wild chervil/cow parsley (but isn't either of them - I'll take a photo for some kind person to identify ).

[exile]

Breaking the mould perhaps:
For the first time I have seen solitary bees - burrowing in our brassica patch. Although I have done a bit of research, I cannot tell whether these are mason bees or not - but they probably are.
Plenty of honey bees but we have several hives kept around the village.
For the first time in 21 years we have mosquitos - grrr. I react to the bites.
Horse flies ae as vicious as ever and on one day I had to abandon work in one part of the garden due to their persistence in trying to get a meal.
We don't see many hornets but I have seen as many this year so far as I would see in the whole year and they are mostly prevalent in August and September.
Not yet seen any swallowtail butterflies but the others seem to be as plentiful as usual. They did however arrive later than usual - probably as a result of the cool and extended spring.
Praying mantis seem as plentiful as usual. As are their egg sacks -ootheca which they seem to deposit on sheltered hard surfaces - greenhouse frame, pool "house" etc.