13th August 2026

A morning spent in Goodnestone Park Gardens was a pleasant experience despite the heat. As with most other gardens, it was parched, but even with minimal watering only, there were plenty of flowering plants. These gardens are pesticide free and superbly managed for wildlife and today there were masses of bees of several species taking advantage. The Blood Bees, kleptoparasites of other ground nesting bees, caught my attention as well as a newly emerged Ivy Bee.

Probable Box-headed Blood Bee (Sphecodes monilicornis) on Eryngium

Fresh Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)