Pollinating London Together

Only 3% of our wildflower meadows are left. Please share this post if you agree we should give pollinating insects a fighting chance by growing wildflowers in our gardens, communities, towns and countryside, and by avoiding pesticides and weedkillers 🐝

One of Britain’s most striking moths. When alarmed, the Death’s-head Hawkmoth can squeak, producing the sound by forcing air through its proboscis. These enormous moths can reach a wingspan of 12cm and are migrants to Britain, typically arriving between August and October. #PollinatingLT

Did you know some butterflies outsource childcare to ants? The Adonis Blue caterpillars produce sugary secretions that attract ants, which then carry them into their nests. There, the ants protect and care for the caterpillars for several weeks, raising another insect’s young! #PollinatingLT

Can we have a shout-out for the unsung heroes of the insect world? Hoverflies, beetles, moths and many other insects are important pollinators. To help them (and bees & butterflies) grow nectar-rich flowers and avoid pesticides. #biodiversity #nature

Happy 100th birthday to Winnie-the-Pooh! First published on 14 October 1926, Pooh's stories have delighted readers for a century. While he might love honey, the Hundred Acre Wood has other wildlife to celebrate! Bees and other pollinators help our gardens and woodlands thrive. #PollinatingLT

With a few simple actions you can turn your garden into a haven for bumblebees: 🐝 Say no weedkillers and pesticides 🐝 Let weeds grow – and don't be too tidy! 🐝 Grow nectar-rich flowers 🐝 Make a bee bowl 🐝 More: littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/Gar... #SaveTheBees

Species spotlight: the Pinocchio Hoverfly One of our favourite hoverflies has a rather unusual feature: a long ‘nose’! The larvae of Pinocchio Hoverflies (Rhingia campestris) develop in cow dung. #PollinatingLT

The Painted Lady is a great long-distance traveller. Every year, these butterflies migrate north from areas including North Africa, the Middle East and central Asia, travelling through Europe before reaching Britain and Ireland. #PollinatingLT

Cyclamen and rose hips in the Garden.

Our 2026 pollinator surveys are well underway! We’re now around halfway through our fourth and final survey round. It’s still too early to reveal the full results, but we’ve already seen some species appearing in greater numbers than in previous years. #PollinatingLT

Found a tired bee? Put down the honey! It might seem like the obvious thing to offer a struggling bee, but honey can contain pathogens that are harmful to bees. Instead, if a bee needs a helping hand, offer a little sugar water, or even better, place it somewhere on a flower. #PollinatingLT

Species spotlight: Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum is one of the UK’s most familiar bumblebees but its appearance can be quite variable. Some individuals can look very similar to two much rarer species: the Brown-banded Carder Bee (B. humilis) and Moss Carder Bee (B. muscorum). #PollinatingLT

Discover Clerkenwell’s Pollinator Path! Join us on 22 September at 3pm for an afternoon exploring the links between plants, pollinators and people. We’ll visit two gardens, including St John’s ancient physic garden, and take a guided tour of the Museum of the Order of St John.

Some of our most familiar butterflies, including peacocks and small tortoiseshells, depend on stinging nettles. Adult butterflies visit other plants for nectar, but their caterpillars need host plants. No nettles can mean fewer butterflies. #PollinatingLT

PLT is a charity, and donations help support the work we do for pollinators across London. From surveys and events to advice and education, every contribution helps us keep going. You can donate via our website. #PollinatingLT

It's been a bumper year for Humming-bird Hawk-moths, with over 8,000 sightings across the UK reported via iRecord so far. If you've not yet seen one yourself keep watching flowers (and doing FIT Counts!) and look out for their amazing hovering behaviour.

Hummingbird hawkmoths are not hummingbirds, and they’re not hawks either, they’re moths. You’d probably do a double take if you saw one of these hover at flowers, using their long tongues to feed on nectar. We’ve seen plenty this year, always a nice one to come across. #PollinatingLT

Have you ever tried a FIT Count? Flower-Insect Timed Counts are simple 10-minute surveys that help build a picture of which insects are visiting flowers, and where. They’re really easy to do and can be quite fun too! #PollinatingLT

In the Garden - Three-banded slug, species of Common Hoverfly and first sighting of a snake millipede.

Snap

Meet the Batman hoverfly: Myathropa florea. This striking hoverfly gets its common name from the dark, bat-like marking on its thorax. Once you’ve seen it, you won’t unsee it. #PollinatingLT

Seeing bumblebee queens again in late summer? In some species, a second generation may be emerging. Not every queen you spot is fresh out of hibernation, some are part of the next wave of summer activity. #PollinatingLT

Seen swarms of flying ants lately? Odds are its “flying ant day”, a natural mating event. While they don’t pollinate as well as bees do, ants do visit flowers! #PollinatingLT

Looking forward to kick starting #beesneedsweek2026 with @pollinatinglt.bsky.social and the City of London at this evening event discussing data and pollinators! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/data-and-p...

Not much longer left to wait! On 13th July, we’re holding our Annual Pollinator Count and Seminar. Join the count, hear about this year’s findings, and help shape the future of pollinator conservation in London. #PollinatingLT

Drought stresses plants and pollinators alike. Flowers produce less nectar during dry spells, though the sugar concentration can increase. This could mean that pollinators must work harder for fewer rewards. What changes have you noticed in your garden this summer? #PollinatingLT

On 13th July, we’re holding our Annual Pollinator Count and Seminar. Join the count, hear about this year’s findings, and help shape the future of pollinator conservation in London. #PollinatingLT

Spotted a spiky little bug on your plants? It might be a ladybird larva! They look totally different from adults but are great garden helpers, eating aphids by the dozen. #PollinatingLT

Bees Needs Week is around the corner! It’s a great time to plant, learn, and act for our buzzing friends. Have a look on our website for tips and activities! #PollinatingLT

If you’ve spotted neat circular holes in your rose leaves, it could be the handiwork of a leafcutter bee. These bees cut leaf pieces to build their nests, building cells for an egg, pollen and nectar. A packed lunch for the next generation. #PollinatingLT

Get ready for the Annual Pollinator Count 2026! On the 13th of July help us track the buzz and monitor pollinator health in London. #PollinatingLT

New podcast drop! Our next Counting the Earth, recorded at #RHSChelsea, dives into garden biodiversity, smart sensors, and how apps help everyone support wildlife. Explore the Big British Garden Survey and hear the soundscapes: https://audioboom.com/posts/8913661-back-garden-biodiversity-9-600

What’s your favourite plant blooming right now? Share what’s on display in your garden or local park, we love hearing about your seasonal standouts! #PollinatingLT

Did you know many hoverflies can be identified by a “spurious vein” on their wings? It isn’t a true vein, but a fold that looks like one. It’s a useful clue for recognising many UK hoverfly species. Though it might not be easy to see out and about! #PollinatingLT

Nasturtiums are a brilliant addition to wildlife-friendly gardens. Their bright flowers attract pollinators, and all parts of the plant are edible too. Beautiful, useful, and bee-friendly! #PollinatingLT

Did you know its World Bee Day today? Bees pollinate many of the plants we rely on for food and healthy ecosystems. Over the next few weeks, take a moment to notice the busy bees around you. #WorldBeeDay #PollinatingLT

Leafcutter bees are brilliant pollinators. Many species have males that sport enlarged front feet, used during courtship and mating. Keep an eye out for these bees in gardens and green spaces this spring, they are around! #PollinatingLT

Session two is underway at #LDN2026 🌿A big thank you to Heather, Sarah and Elliot for their inspiring presentations! Topics from busy pollinators, to London Invasive Species Initiative, and rewilding! 🐌🌼 @pollinatinglt.bsky.social @citizenzoo.bsky.social #Rewilding #Pollinators #InvasiveSpecies

The Private Life of Plants (1995), presented by David Attenborough, reveals how flowers attract pollinators using colour, scent, and even deception. Episode 3, “Flowering” especially shows some interesting plant-pollinator interactions. #Attenborough100 #PollinatingLT

Life in the Undergrowth, presented by David Attenborough, explores the hidden world of invertebrates. It brings behaviours like bumblebee colony life and pollination into focus, showing processes we rarely get to see up close. #Attenborough100 #PollinatingLT

Sir David Attenborough is Vice-President of Fauna & Flora, a global conservation organisation working in 40+ countries to protect species and habitats. Their work includes supporting pollinators and the ecosystems they depend on. #Attenborough100 #PollinatingLT

🐝 Speaker: Dr Heather Barrett‑Mold OBE LDN 2026 | 9th May - 4 days to go! We’re honoured to welcome Heather, who leads science and education work at PLT @pollinatinglt.bsky.social, to #LDN2026! Her talk will focus on “Promoting pollinators in the urban environment” 💚 #Pollinators #LondonWildlife

In the UK, most pollinators are insects, but in other parts of the world, vertebrates also do the job. The Green Planet shows how different ecosystems rely on very different pollinators, including some cool footage of pollinating bats. #Attenborough100 #PollinatingLT

Celebrating 100 years of Sir David Attenborough! A lifetime spent showing why nature matters and why protecting pollinators has never been more important. We’ll be sharing a few of his pollinator highlights this week. #Attenborough100 📸 DFAT / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0

Some pollinators are more efficient at pollinating certain crops than the global default, the honeybee. That can be due to the location of the pollen collecting hairs. Megachilid (leafcutter) bees have them underneath the abdomen vs on the hind legs of a honeybee. #PollinatingLT

The Garden is awash with hawthorn and the ferns are uncurling!

Not all roses are equal for pollinators. Open, simple flowers offer accessible pollen and nectar, while heavily bred double varieties often provide very little. Plant choice can make a real difference for pollinator support. #PollinatingLT

Spotted small mounds of soil on a path? You may have seen bee “tumuli”, little piles left behind when ground-nesting bees dig their nests. These ones here were found on a footpath in an apple orchard. #PollinatingLT