The ivy growing outside my home is one of my favourite plants at autumn because of the sheer numbers of insects it supports.
A late source of nectar
One of the last plants to flower, common ivy, also known as English ivy, provides an important source of pollen and nectar as many insects prepare for hibernation. Among the insects busily feeding on the ivy in my garden are wasps, ladybirds, drone flies, noon flies and hoverflies. The buzz of activity around my garden ivy is mesmerising - and the insects are so busy feasting they seem oblivious of one another. At one point a wasp literally crawls over a ladybird, but the ladybird barely pauses.
Gardener's friends
Wasps are often considered a nuisance, but they are useful pollinators and important predators, helping to keep populations of aphids and caterpillars in check. This makes them a wildlife gardener's friend rather than foe. And up close, these insects are exquisitely beautiful. From the patterns traced across their delicate flight wings to the way each is dusted in a fluffy powdering of ivy pollen, my macro shots show you the beauty in their secret world.
So, next time you pass a hedge or wall covered in ivy, take a closer look.
