ummer might be coming to an end but there is still an abundance of insect activity as species prepare for winter and make the most of late-flowering plants. I met Benny Hawksbee, an urban gardener and invertebrate evangelist who spends time caring for the Eden Nature Garden in Clapham.
“Like all animals, these insects, when observed instead of wafted away, can be quite charismatic, and often we completely misunderstand them,” Hawksbee explains.
The UK has nearly 280 different species of bee and around 9,000 species of wasp. Wasps especially get a bad rap, but really we shouldn’t see any insect as evil. Wasps are vital in keeping garden pests in check.
Here are some of Benny’s favourites to look out for through autumn.
Ivy bee (Colletes hederae)
A delightful small bee with distinct orange banding and orange hair on the thorax. These bees emerge from their underground burrows in early autumn to forage on freshly flowering ivy at a time when not many other species of bee are still around. They often nest together on south-facing ground.
Common carder bee (Bombus pascuorum)
A medium-sized and fluffy bee, this is the most frequently seen bumblebee.
They use an extensive range of flowers, including thistles, lavender and bramble, and nest in small holes around dense vegetation such as old mouse runs and moss mats. One nest can contain 100 to 200 workers.
Sea Holly is a favourite flower of the charismatic Beewolf wasp
/ Alamy Stock PhotoBeewolf (Philanthus triangulum)
A charismatic solitary wasp whose main roles are as pollinator and predator. It kills to feed its young. Slightly larger than a honeybee, they have striking yellow-black triangular markings. You’ll find them where sandy ground is available (for nesting) and where the occasional bee (often honeybees) can be taken as provision for their young.
Increasingly, the Beewolf can be found in the city; one nesting aggregation was even found on Battersea Bridge roundabout. A favourite plant is Sea Holly (Eryngium planum)
Fly fox (Mellinus arvensis)
Another beautiful late-flying solitary wasp with classic black and yellow colouration. They tend to target flies and will even lurk on animal dung waiting for flies. They pounce on the fly, quickly immobilising it with a sting and then carry it back to their nest. These wasps prefer to nest in shaded ground underneath trees. Hampstead Heath is a good place to look for them.
Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Wasps don’t hate people; they just love protein and sugar as much as we do. The much-maligned common wasp is no longer so common and in London we are more likely to see its relative, Vespula germanica. A crucial pollinator, scavenger and hunter.
European hornet (Vespa crabro)
A gentle giant whose understated presence is vital in the web of life. Chestnut and gold in colour, robust and elegant in appearance. Each autumn the colony dies, leaving a single, mated queen to overwinter.
These are invaluable garden predators, keeping other species (including wasps, moths and beetles) in check. Their size might be a little unnerving, but unless provoked they are usually friendly.
If you want to learn more about bees and wasps, check out the walks and talks by the London Natural History Society or join the UK Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society Facebook page.
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