Planting for the Future

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Allotment Drinks supported the planting of 0.75 hectares of wildflowers in the UK in 2022

We all see wildflowers as beautiful and great for our well-being, but for the thousands of pollinating insects that share this land with us, wildflowers are vital. There’s a problem - pollinators are finding themselves in isolated oases, walled in by agricultural land, urban landscapes, roads, and gardens. What humans see as neat and tidy; insects see as desert! Since 1940 we’ve lost ninety seven percent of our flower rich meadows and hundreds of our pollinator species are in decline.

Allotment Drinks is part of a beautiful solution to the problem by helping to restore B-Lines – a network of insect pathways along which we are restoring and creating wildflower rich habitat. These insect super highway created in partnership with GreenTheUK and Buglife will extend across the whole of the UK, allowing wildlife to move freely through our countryside and towns.

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Next Spring, head down to York City Walls to admire the wildflowers planted by and thanks to the wonderful Claire Oxley and her company Allotment Drinks Ltd. in partnership with GreenTheUK. Due to the historic nature of the site, we had to carefully choose what wildflowers to plant which included: Common Bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) Cowslip (Primula veris) Field Forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis) Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis) Primrose (Primula vulgaris) Snakeshead Fritillary - purple (Fritillaria meleagris) White Campion (Silene latifolia) White Dead-nettle (Lamium album) Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa). The project could not have happened without our partner Buglife and volunteers from the Friends of York Walls alongside an archeologist who collected the artefacts we found during our dig - we think we may have found a piece of Victorian pottery and a goat or sheep bone.

Wildflowers & Grasses Planted

Bird’s-foot Trefoil

Bird’s-foot Trefoil: Lotus Corniculatus

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Bird’s-foot Trefoil: Lotus Corniculatus

Bird’s-foot trefoil is already a pretty great name, but this plant has many other exciting aliases, including “hen and chickens” and “eggs and bacon”. These colourful names refer to the plant’s red and yellow flowers. Its seed pods are reminiscent of a bird’s claws.

Cowslip

Cowslip: Primula Veris

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Cowslip: Primula Veris

You can recognise the cowslip by its clusters of drooping bell-shaped yellow flowers which make a cheery addition to meadows and woodlands. Cowslips are very strongly associated with springtime and Easter, thriving on chalky soils where they flower between April and May. They were traditionally picked to make May Day garlands and wedding decorations.

Field Forget-me-not

Field Forget-me-not: Myosotis Arvensis

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Field Forget-me-not: Myosotis Arvensis

You might well spot these small, pale blue flowers growing by the side of the road, or else on dry, arable land. Field forget-me-not seeds should be sown in the autumn, so that they can flower in the spring and summer, attracting bees, butterflies and other insects. According to Greek myth, it is so-called because when Zeus was naming the plants, this little blue flower feared being left out and shouted, “Forget me not!”.

Lungwort

Lungwort: Pulmonaria officinalis

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Lungwort: Pulmonaria officinalis

Lungwort is a perennial species that is native to Europe. Its pink and bluish-purple flowers burst into bloom between February and May. This plant got its name because ancient herbalists believed its flowers looked like lungs and could therefore be used to treat pulmonary problems.

Wild Primrose

Wild Primrose: Primula vulgaris

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Wild Primrose: Primula vulgaris

The wild primrose can be found in hedgerows and woodland all over the UK and Ireland. These gorgeous yellow flowers start blooming between December and May, so they are one of the first signs that spring is on its way. Wild primrose flowers are an important source of nectar for butterflies and other insects.

Snakeshead Fritillary - purple

Snakeshead Fritillary - purple : Fritillaria meleagris

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Snakeshead Fritillary - purple : Fritillaria meleagris

The really fascinating thing about this plant is that its flowers are decorated with a sort of pink and purple chequered pattern. This effect, as well as the shape of the flower as it hangs down, is reminiscent of a snake’s head; hence the name! The snake’s-head fritillary thrives in damp meadows, usually next to rivers.

White Campion

White Campion: Silene latifolia

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White Campion: Silene latifolia

The white campion flowers in summer and is easiest to spot on grassland and waste ground between May and October. At night, the flowers release a rich scent - reminiscent of the smell of cloves - attracting moths. White campion has been growing in Britain since Neolithic times and was popular with the Elizabethans, especially in pot-pourri.

White Dead-nettle

White Dead-nettle: Lamium album

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White Dead-nettle: Lamium album

You are most likely to spot the white dead-nettle on disturbed ground or by the side of the road. The good news is that this is one nettle that does not sting. White dead-nettle flowers are popular with bees and other insects, while the plant’s heart-shaped leaves can be used in salads or steamed and eaten.

Wood Anemone

Wood Anemone: Anemone nemorosa

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Wood Anemone: Anemone nemorosa

Wood anemone flowers grow slowly, and are often to be found in ancient woodland areas. This member of the buttercup family has beautiful white or pinkish petals, which the Ancient Greeks believed were formed from Aphrodite’s tears as she mourned the death of Adonis. Although striking, wood anemones don’t flower for very long, meaning they have long been associated with death.

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Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

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Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.

Over time, this meadow should be home to a rich variety of wildlife which could include…

Bumblebees

Buff-tailed bumblebee: Bombus terrestris

Buff-tailed bumblebee

These are the giants of the bumblebee world, and the whole species is named after the buff colour of their queen’s tail. They can be found in the UK’s lowlands, nesting underground in very large groups. These insects are very fond of nectar, and if they can’t easily reach it with their tongues, they will bite a hole in the flower to suck it out.

Common Carder Bee: Bombus Pascuorum

Common Carder Bee

This relatively small ginger-coloured bumblebee is widespread throughout the UK, in habitats including farms, woods and gardens. Carder bees have very long tongues and feed on heather, clover and lavender. They often nest in old mouse runs and disused birds’ nests.

Red-tailed Bumblebee: Bombus Lapidarius

Red-tailed Bumblebee

This is an abundant species of bumblebee that is found all over the UK. This social bee nests in disused burrows, under stones or at the base of old dry stone walls. Both males and females have the eponymous red tails as well as velvety black bodies and transparent wings.

Honeybee and solitary bees

Honeybee: Apis Mellifera

Honeybee

Honeybees have six legs, four wings and five eyes. They use the Sun, and possibly the Earth’s magnetic fields, to navigate, and they can fly at speeds of up to 20mph when in search of food. At the height of summer there are around 40,000 honeybees in each hive, and that number drops to around 5,000 in the winter.

Solitary Bee: Osmia Rufa

Solitary Bee

Also known as the red mason bee, this insect can be found in cities, towns and villages across Britain and Europe. Females make their homes and lay their eggs in wall cavities, under roof tiles and even inside keyholes, lining their nests with mud. These bees are excellent pollinators, particularly of apple trees.

Tawny Mining Bee: Andrena Fulva

Tawny Mining Bee

These furry, ginger bees are commonly found in parks and gardens across southern Britain during April and May. They feed from a wide variety of plants including dandelions, buttercups, willows and fruit trees. Tawny mining bees often make their nests in lawns and flowerbeds or in orchards where they can be close to apple, pear and cherry blossom for example.

A Leaf-cutter Bee: Megachile Centuncularis

A Leaf-cutter Bee

As the name suggests, if you spot semi-circular holes in leaves, it’s a sign that this bee has been at work in your garden. The insect then carries the little pieces of leaf back to its nest, gluing them together with saliva to build cells for their larvae. You can spot this bee from April to August when it flies around feeding on pollen and nectar.

Hoverflies and other flies

Marmalade Hoverfly: Episyrphus Balteatus

Marmalade Hoverfly

The marmalade hoverfly is so-called because it is orange with black stripes that are thin or “thick cut” just like the popular preserve! It is Britain’s most common hoverfly and can be seen in parks, gardens, hedgerows and woods. They are present all year round, but numbers are often much higher in the summer when marmalade hoverflies migrate to the UK from abroad.

Drone Fly: Eristalis Tenax

Drone Fly

This insect’s patchy brown and orange body makes it look a lot like the male honeybee, which is a very effective way to keep it safe from predators. Drone flies also copy honeybee flight patterns as they move around in search of nectar. Their larvae, nicknamed “rat-tailed maggots”, feed on rotting organic material in stagnant water.

Pellucid Hoverfly: Volucella Pellucens

Pellucid Hoverfly

This large black fly has a white stripe on its body and black spots on its transparent wings. It can be found throughout most of Britain and Ireland, and is often seen feasting on bramble flowers in hedgerows or on the edge of woodland. The larvae develop in wasp nests where they feed on detritus wasp grubs.

Large Narcissus Fly: Merodon Equestris

Large Narcissus Fly

This medium-sized hoverfly looks very much like a bumblebee, which provides great protection against predators. This insect loves warm, sunny spots full of flowers, like gardens in the summer. Females lay their eggs on the leaves of bulbous plants such as bluebells and daffodils, and the larvae then burrow into the bulbs, feeding on them and causing some damage.

Beetles

Soldier Beetle: Cantharis Rustica

Soldier Beetle

The soldier beetle makes its home in open woodland or anywhere where there is tall grass. These carnivorous predators are common throughout England and Wales, where they can be seen from May to July. The adults prefer to hunt for food on flowers, while their larvae live on the ground, feeding on a range of other creatures.

7-spot Ladybird: Coccinella Septempunctata

7-spot Ladybird

These ladybirds are easy to identify because, just as you might expect, they have a pattern of seven black spots on their red wing cases. They are our most common ladybirds, found in parks and gardens throughout the UK. Ladybirds use their bright colours to warn predators that they won’t taste good, but it doesn’t always work!

Rose Chafer: Cetonia Aurata

Rose Chafer

These beetles have distinctive green and purple-bronze iridescent bodies, making them easy to identify. They love crawling on flowers on sunny days, when they shimmer in the light and look even more striking. Their favourite source of food, as the name indicates, is the rose, and the dog rose in particular.

Flower Beetle: Oedeomera Nobilis

Flower Beetle

This beetle is so-called because the male of the species has large green bulges on its hind thighs, whereas the female does not. It used to be quite rare, but is now a very abundant species throughout the UK. You should be able to spot the adults without too much difficulty, as they like to feed on open flowers like daisies

Butterflies and Moths

Peacock Butterfly: Inachis Io

Peacock Butterfly

This common British butterfly gets its name from the large spots on its wings, which are reminiscent of peacock feathers. These markings help to scare off predators in the woods, gardens and parks where they live. They hibernate in winter, folding up their wings to show the dull undersides so that they can blend in with their surroundings while they sleep.

6-spot Burnet: Zygaena Filipendulae

6-spot Burnet

You are most likely to spot this medium-sized moth flying around in the daytime between June and August. It has six red spots on each of its glossy black forewings. If attacked, the burnet moth will release cyanide, so the spots serve as a warning to predators that this species is poisonous.

Red Admiral: Vanessa Atalanta

Red Admiral

These large red, white and black butterflies have very powerful wings. Most of the magnificent red admirals that we see in the UK start off in North Africa and migrate north, arriving here from late March onwards and staying until autumn. Male red admirals court their females for several hours before they begin mating.

Holly Blue: Celastrina Argiolus

Holly Blue

This stunning, vibrant, blue butterfly can be seen across most of the UK, but is most common in England and Wales. Caterpillars feed on holly and ivy buds, digging into them and eating what is inside. Holly blues are very popular in Finland, where they have been elevated to the status of national butterfly!

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly: Aglais Urticae

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly

The small tortoiseshell is one of the UK’s most common and beloved butterfly species. Females lay their eggs on stinging nettles, before caterpillars hatch around ten days later. When courting, the males beat their antennae on the females’ hindwings.

Wasps

Common Wasp: Vespula Vulgaris

Common Wasp

Anyone who has ever tried to have a summer picnic will be familiar with this yellow and black striped insect which can be found all over the UK. Queens first come out of hibernation at the very start of spring and start to look for suitable nesting sites in a range of habitats. Wasps will try to eat anything sweet, and although we might think of them as pests, they are useful pollinators.

Ruby-tailed Wasp: Chrysis Ignita

Ruby-tailed Wasp

Ruby-tailed wasps are often called “cuckoo wasps” because they lay their eggs in other insects’ nests. Shiny and turquoise with a rich red abdomen, they are strikingly beautiful in appearance. Ruby-tailed wasps have a sting, but don’t tend to use it.

Mason Wasp: Ancistrocerus Parietum

Mason Wasp

This wasp is native to Europe and North America and gets its name because it likes to build its nests in walls. Mason wasps have black bodies with yellow stripes and narrow waists. Female mason wasps are slightly larger than males, and can control the gender of their offspring.

Red Wasp: Vespula Rufa

Red Wasp

This wasp is so-called because it has reddish-brown markings on its body. Red wasps make their nests in tree stumps, using leaf litter and soil. Badgers often destroy the nests, eating them along with the wasps, as their thick hair and skin protects them from being stung.

Rare Species

Brown-banded Carder Bee: Bombus Humilis

Brown-banded Carder Bee

The brown-banded carder bee is a bumblebee that favours heaths and dry, open grasslands. It has a chestnut-coloured thorax and strawberry-blond abdomen, but there are a few black hairs at the base of its wings. Populations have declined because of habitat loss, but this bee can be found in clusters in north Cornwall and Newport in South Wales, for example.

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