Garden Wildlife Round Up 2013

After a record breaking 2012, in which the cold and the wet took its toll on our gardens and wildlife. Thanks to the coldest spring for 50 years, many species struggled to find food, or had problems breeding.

This year we had the driest, warmest summer in seven years and as a result, species such as butterflies, bees and other flying insects enjoyed a bumper year. Things were not so good however for ladybirds and bluetits.

The small tortoiseshell butterfly was a particular success story this year. Having been in decline since 1976 due to a combination of unfavourable weather, habitat loss and the arrival of the parasitic Sturmia fly from the continent.

The bee also enjoyed a bumper year for the first time in years. A combination of increased awareness of the plight of bees’ and the reintroduction of native bee species has led to increase in the population.

Ladybirds struggled thanks to 2012’s adverse weather causing issues with breeding the next generation.

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