Pollination Awareness Week starts today. What better way to promote pollinators than turning a shed, a garage or an extension in to a pollinator paradise.
It is amazing the range of pollinators that can found on a small green roof. Even the one on my balcony, measuring about 11/2m2 attracts a good range of bumblebees, solitary bees, hover flies and moths. Any space bedecked with wildflowers, is a good way to celebrate Pollination Awareness Week.
Pollination Awareness Week – is not just about bees.
Who is this little imposter in my bee tube?
In the last few days a solitary parasitic wasp has been patrolling my tiny greenroofIt has also been visiting the habitat wall.I have seen it trying to lay its eggs in one of the mason bee nests. Wasps are good pollinators may have a bad name but they too are pollinators.
Spiders are pollinators too
I also love watching crab spiders on Ox-eye daisies. As they move around the flower head they pick up pollen. When they move to another flower head they become accidental pollinators. Of course Ox-eye daisies are a good green roof plant.
Pollination Awareness Week – is also about moths and butterflies
I have seen many a butterfly on a green roof, from Peacocks – to Common Blues. Brunet Companion moths as well as Six-spotted Burnet moths, are frequent visitors to small scale green roofs.
Burnet Companion Moth
I have also seen essex and small skippers, large and small whites, red admirals and even painted ladies.
Tortoiseshell on Lavender
I was on a roof garden above Charing Cross Station the other day. A beautiful Tortoiseshell butterfly was feeding on Lavender. Lavender would a hard ask on a small green roof. Just goes to show that pollinators can get up to the highest roofs.
So if you haven’t yet thought of building a small green roof on that redundant roof of your shed, garage or extension why not give it a go for Pollination Awareness Week. Give some more space for pollinators and enjoy the view.
So join the small scale green roof community and get membership to this guide.
