Nicolette’s Wildlife Garden - Autumn flowers for insects...

 

Nicolette’s Wildlife Garden - Autumn flowers for insects... 

A Bumble bee meticulously drains nectar from every bloom on a spike of autumn flowering monkshood Aconitum napellus


 (A. carmichaelii is a rich purple alternative). Complementary colours of Pot Marigolds still give humans a buzz, and flies

 much needed food. Every day, honeybees home in on another


faithful supplier, Salvia ‘Amistad’


 which continues giving from early summer to first frost. And the various yellows to pinks of the Alstroemeria flowers





 are also in that autumn insect ‘must-have’ category.


The more flower variety one can achieve in the cold and wet of autumn and winter the better the survival chances for garden pollinators and pest controllers – insects, spiders, and birds. A quote from Royal Botanic Gardens Kew:


‘Pollination occurs when pollen is transferred from flower to flower by animals such as bird, bees, bats, butterflies, beetles and moths. By encouraging these animals to your garden, with pollinator friendly seeds [/plants], you can help more natural growth occur within local landscapes.

Across the world there is evidence that pollinating animals have suffered via loss of habitats, disease and chemical misuse, creating a shortage of these vital creatures.’


These vital creatures all interconnect with each other, the insects pollinate making seeds (wild food for birds), many within fruits (more bird food, and human – berries, apples, tomatoes, etc). And the fruit eaters distribute (plant) seed way beyond the parent plant.


You can provide food for winter- active bumblebees by planting Mahonia, Winter-flowering Heather (Erica carnea), Winter Aconite, Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera xpurpusii), Evergreen Clematis (Clematis armandii), Hellebores... and Shelter in form of leaf and twig piles, ivy and/or a bee hotel with larger holes.


As is happening more and more, next year’s flowers are already appearing out of sync. ...Winter Iris (Iris unguicularis) 


 beautifully marked with obvious directions for insect visitors appeared 1 Nov. February to May classics - Sweet Violets

 have been in flower a while now... and surprise insects have turned up too!


Long antennae, long ovipositor distinguish a Bush Cricket


 from a Grasshopper. They normally overwinter as eggs, rather than young nymphs like this one, which suddenly appeared on the steering wheel, the car having presumably offered shelter from seasonal cooling. Fortunately, I was not the driver and could safely retrieve it and get a one-handed photo before releasing it to nature’s realm of uncertain destiny... not optimistic given immaturity and one powerful jumping leg was missing.

Self-seeded nasturtiums  


have germinated and are growing apace, while Wild Daisies

Penstemon

 Heuchera

 and a blanket of clusters of white scented Choisya




 are in flower and delighting autumn insects... unseasonal extras... for now!


Photo credits: Nicolette Scourse


Save the date 

15th January 2026 

Ponds-  Creating and Maintaining a home for wildlife 

by Connor Stapleton-Goddard, Freshwater Delivery Manager, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. 


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