Hi bunbun, I have planted guaras and pentas for my butterflies and they seem to love them. The blue-bum bees also love them, particularly the reds, mauves and lavender colours. Monarch butterflies love hippyeastrums, too much really, as they decimate all the leaves. The bulb stays intact and still flowers though.
Haven't noticed a reduction in insects up here (Qld). Honeybees and native bees doing well, lots of praying mantis. Have noticed that the cicadas are deafening this year, to the point of having to turn the TV up to the max in order to hear it. Lots of plants seeding, especially the cherry tomatoes. I think last years relatively warm winter up here is going to be repeated this year as well and increased insect activity will occur. Went to a beekeepers meeting last week and some have reported a lot of small hive beetle infestation in their hives, probably the result of high humidity and poorly ventilated hives. We don't concentrate on producing a huge amount of honey, only with looking after the bees as well as we can. Someone mentioned more swarms this year and I have heard of a lot locally. If bees have swarmed from a bee-hive they have done so because the hive isn't managed as well, or more properly, monitored enough in their productive cycle. Swarm cells are obvious and while difficult, you can convince the hive not to swarm. Splitting hives when they get overcrowded is another solution, probably easier. There are a lot of birds around this year and I've seen micro-bats in some boxes I installed a few years back. All in all a lovely season.
