Paul writes: Recently Mark wrote about the beauty of dandelions and I fully agree with him. As well as brightening up the dullest grass verge or lawn they are great for attracting insects. They are an ideal nectar source for lots of the early hoverflies that are beginning to appear. I found half a dozen different species earlier in the week, feeding on a patch of dandelions along a roadside verge in Hunmanby, North Yorkshire.
This particular hoverfly is a beautiful yellow and black species of the Eupeodes genus (unfortunately it doesn’t have an English name). One of the problems with hoverfly recording is that they are often difficult to identify as to species from photographs. Which is the case here.
Plantlife have recently said they approve of picking a few dandelions, so why not try putting them in a vase on an outside table or window ledge, in a sunny position. They are a great lure for hoverflies, so you have a good chance of attracting a few visitors.
[registration_form]
Isn’t it funny how bloody daffodils get planted out everywhere and yet dandelions get treated as a ‘weed’?