Gardens are wonderful spaces often full of fabulous colour, scent and plants, but look a little deeper and you might reveal something more. The estimated 2.5 million acres of gardens in the UK are a rich source of forage and shelter for pollinating insects and other wildlife. The National Garden Scheme is encouraging people to take part in The Great British Garden Survey which runs until the end of September 2026. Everyone with a garden, large or small, an allotment or even a balcony can take part to record the insects and animals visiting their green space. Not only will the survey give insights into how gardens support wildlife, research shows that connecting with the natural world can benefit well-being in the participant. You can find out more and register by visiting ngs.org.uk/the-big-british-garden-survey/
One creature we do not want to find in our gardens is the Yellow-Legged Asian Hornet (YLAH). This insect is a highly predatory, invasive, non-native species which poses a significant threat to our native pollinating insects. A single mated queen was accidently introduced into Southwest France from Asia in some pottery in 2004. Since then, the YLAH has spread across Europe with the first nest discovered in Tetbury, England in 2016. Last year, 162 nests were found and destroyed in England. In January this year, the first (dead) nest was found in Wales near Wrexham. A single nest of these hornets can consume about 11kg of pollinating insects in a year and can produce up to 350 queens which go on to set up more nests.
The YLAH is most active from July until November around flowers, bee hives, rotting fruit and ivy. It is smaller than the native European Hornet but larger than a wasp, with a black velvety body, yellow-tipped legs, an orange face and a yellow stripe towards the rear of the abdomen. Garden owners, ramblers and dog walkers have been crucial in spotting these insects and reporting them enabling specially trained personnel to identify the nest and destroy it. For more information about the YLAH and how to report a sighting, please visit: www.nonnativespecies.org/non-native-species/species-alerts#Species_53
The National Garden Scheme donated over £3.8 million last year to a range of health-related beneficiary charities, generated from visitors enjoying the 3,000 gardens opened to the public. The organisation celebrates a hundred years of open garden events and fund-raising in 2027. For more information about gardens to visit in Wales this summer, visit findagarden.ngs.org.uk/
Feature image: Asian Hornet, Charles J. Sharp, Sharp Photography, sharpphotography, CC BY-SA 4.0, Source
