Common Species
Discover 23 species you can support in your garden
Photo: UK pollinator collection
Bumblebees
These fuzzy bees are excellent pollinators. They can fly in cooler temperatures than honeybees and are vital for many garden plants.
Photo: UK pollinator collection
Honeybee
Social bees living in colonies, honeybees visit flowers for nectar and pollen. Essential for fruit and vegetable pollination.
Photo: The Wildlife Trusts
Red Mason Bee
A common solitary bee that nests in holes and crevices. Emerges in spring and is an excellent orchard pollinator.
Photo: UK pollinator collection
Leafcutter Bee
Named for their habit of cutting circular pieces from leaves to line their nests. Important summer pollinators.
Photo: UK pollinator collection
Mining Bee
Ground-nesting solitary bees that create small mounds of soil. Early spring pollinators for fruit trees.
Photo: UK pollinator collection
Peacock Butterfly
Distinctive eyespots on wings. Feeds on nettles as caterpillars and nectar-rich flowers as adults.
Photo: UK pollinator collection
Red Admiral Butterfly
Striking black wings with red bands. Loves buddleia and ivy flowers, caterpillars feed on nettles.
Photo: UK pollinator collection
Small Tortoiseshell
Orange and black butterfly common in gardens. Caterpillars feed on nettles, adults love thistles and buddleia.
Photo: UK pollinator collection
Comma Butterfly
Ragged wing edges and white comma mark underneath. Feeds on rotting fruit and flowers, breeds on nettles.
Photo: UK pollinator collection
Brimstone Butterfly
Bright yellow males are often the first butterflies seen in spring. Caterpillars feed on buckthorn.
Photo: UK pollinator collection
Common Blue Butterfly
Small blue butterfly found in sunny gardens. Caterpillars feed on bird's-foot trefoil and clover.
Photo: UK pollinator collection
Holly Blue Butterfly
Pale blue butterfly that breeds on holly and ivy. Often seen fluttering around hedges.
Photo: NatureSpot
Marmalade Hoverfly
Orange and black striped, one of the most common hoverflies. Larvae are voracious aphid predators.
Photo: NatureSpot
Drone Fly
Bee mimic hoverfly often seen on flowers. Larvae live in stagnant water and are called rat-tailed maggots.
Photo: Bumblebee Conservation Trust
White-tailed Bumblebee
Large bumblebee with distinctive white tail. Queens emerge early and visit gardens throughout summer.
Photo: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Buff-tailed Bumblebee
One of the largest and most common bumblebees. Queens have buff-coloured tails, workers have white.
Photo: The Wildlife Trusts
Carder Bee
Ginger-brown bumblebees that 'card' moss and grass to make nests. Important late-season pollinators.
Photo: Butterfly Conservation
Hummingbird Hawk-moth
Day-flying moth that hovers like a hummingbird. Visits gardens in summer, especially loves honeysuckle.
Photo: Butterfly Conservation
Garden Tiger Moth
Spectacular brown and white forewings with orange hindwings. Woolly bear caterpillars eat various plants.
Photo: Butterfly Conservation
Elephant Hawk-moth
Pink and olive moth with caterpillars that resemble elephant trunks. Feeds on willowherb and fuchsia.
Photo: UK moth collection
Cinnabar Moth
Red and black day-flying moth. Distinctive yellow and black striped caterpillars feed on ragwort.
Photo: Butterfly Conservation
Silver Y Moth
Named for the Y-shaped mark on wings. Migrant moth that visits gardens to feed on nectar at dusk.
Photo: Butterfly Conservation
Six-spot Burnet Moth
Day-flying moth with metallic blue-green wings and red spots. Found in sunny gardens with wildflowers.
How to Support Pollinators
Simple, practical actions you can take to create a welcoming habitat for these species
Plant flowers that bloom from early spring to late autumn for continuous nectar
Choose single flowers over doubles—they're easier for pollinators to access
Create sunny, sheltered spots where pollinators can warm up
Avoid pesticides, especially on flowering plants
Leave some bare soil for ground-nesting bees
Build or buy a bee hotel for solitary bees