Where So Few Wildlife When I've Grown More This Year?

[dogstarheaven]

oops! The title meant to have read:

Why so Few Wildlife When I've Grown More??

This is my first post on this forum btw

I've made a concerted effort to grow more for wildlife this yr and have sown phacelius and wildflower mix (free from the Wildlife Trust this yr!) in the main bed and lots of pots. Elsewhere in the garden, I've left my poppies (rhoeas variety) self-seed (bloomng atm!) and the rest are estabished perennials - rosemary, sage, lavendar, jacob's ladder (moved from semi-shade to full-sun area and the hoverflies haven't really noticed it this yr, whereas last yr, they couldnt get enough of it!)
i've other plants that are the pretty, pretty ones that are non-natives or are hybridised too, plus 2 raised beds of veg...

Thing is, the garden isn't a-buzz with the same amount of activity that I had from from hoverflies and bees that I had last yr. I don't understand why there's about a 70% decrease in the numbers (ok, i don't know how much, but i know it's a lot!) ok, my very small garden (from a terrace) is very limited to what i can grow, but I try my best to do as much as i can for creating more biodiversity in the local environment (very lacking in my inner-city area). I have a logpile, wildlife pond, holly tree, birdfeeder station and lots of hidey areas for nesting insects (not that I've noticed, but not looked)...

Is there anyone else with this problem, or am I doing something seriously wrong here??? or is there an explanation for this decline??

also, read somewhere that bees prefer blue-ish to lilac-ish flowers more attractive than other colours. think it's honeybees that are particular. is this true, or are all wildflowers just as attractive to all bees generally..?

[Dorts]

There is a definite decrease in the number of bees of late, and this is something that is being looked into by various bodies and authorities. It may well be that the ever dereasing number of wildflowers in the countryside is not helping. So anything you can do is definitely worthwhile.
As for flower colour. Bees see very different colours on flowers than we do. Each kind of native wild flowers will be favoured more by one kind of pollinator than another.
Try to keep to single flowers, not doubles which are sterile and offer no pollen.
There are a number of books available that will help in planting for wildlife.
Dorts.

[dogstarheaven]

well, dorts, the flowers i grow aren't completely natives, but as a gardener with a passion for flowers, i have to compromise and it's now 50/50. i do know about other native plants that i can grow, but having such a small bed (10' x 6') i am limited! the rest are in pots.