Re lavenders and bees

Hello all,

We too find that it’s the bumble bees, in several varieties, that visit our hardy lavenders (angustifolias and intermedias) – they seem to visit most things in flower.  Honey bees don’t visit the lavender, though we see them in the garden.  I can’t answer Anthony’s question about why the honey bees and the bumble bees can be so picky. 

What about butterflies?  After flowering has started, the commonest visitor to the lavenders is the Small White; they are out there now in great numbers as I write this, both on the hybrids (‘Andreas’ and ‘Goodwin Creek Grey’) and on the angustifolias and intermedias.   We also see Green-veined Whites (we think, not being experts in this field). Other butterflies visiting the lavender this year are: Small Tortoise Shell, Small Heath and Meadow Brown.  Butterflies that seem to ignore the lavender are the Red Admiral, Peacock, Painted Lady and Comma. Brimstones and Orange Tips appear earlier in the year, before the lavenders are in flower.

The buddleias and verbena bonariensis, growing near the lavenders, seem to attract all butterflies.  We sometimes count up to five species on one buddleia raceme.

Day-flying moths seem to visit the lavender - evening moths also and there is a particularly large greyish one that appears at dusk.

At the moment we, like many parts of the UK, are receiving unusually large swarms of hover flies, which look remarkably like wasps but don’t sting or bite.  They too are very interested in the lavenders and are seeking nectar. 

Joan
Gardening in the East Midlands, UK, where it very hot and where we have been told to expect "subtropical" downpours from this evening.
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