r/UKecosystem

Quite sad to see what we've lost. Do you think we'll ever get back to how things were in the 70s?

Where have all the bees gone? North West London, 2025 vs 2026

First time posting here. I've spent the last few years building a wildlife garden in Ruislip (NW London) pollinator friendly plants, a pond with frogs, a mix of shade and sunny spots, strictly no chemicals, bug hotels etc. etc.

Last year was genuinely extraordinary. My pom pom alliums were alive with bees from morning to dusk. The highlight was finding solitary bees sleeping with their butts poking out of the flower heads, something I'd never seen before. It felt like real progress.

This year, the same alliums are almost empty. A handful of visits a day where there used to be dozens.

I'm already aware of the broader insect decline in the UK, so I'm not naive about the bigger picture. But the contrast between last year and this one has genuinely unsettled me especially because 2025 felt like a turning point.

A few things I'm wondering:

• Is this kind of year on year variation normal, even in established wildlife gardens?
• Has anyone else in London or the South East noticed the same this summer?
• Could local factors be at play weather patterns, a neighbour's pesticide use, something else?

Would really appreciate hearing from others, especially if you've kept records over multiple years. Trying to figure out whether this is a blip or something more worrying.