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Talkback: Lambs' ears and woolly bees

Wool carder bees look like large hover flies then,so that's what I have seen in the garden.Just googled them.

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  • I have some of this plant growing happily next to a conifer tree stump which was cut down 2 years ago as it had grown too big. The soil there is poor but the lamb's ears plant is doing well. I had no idea that wool carder bees liked it and wish to propogate more plants from this one now to encourage more bees to visit my garden. Any suggestions as to how best to do this will be welcome. Many thanks.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Dividing is the usual way sterelitza, but do it in spring when everything's starting into growth and the new divisions will grow away well. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • That was very interesting to read, thank you for enlightening me, I have plenty of lambs ears & a insect hotel, so I will plant the lambs ears under the hotel.
  • Very interesting indeed. I too grow Stachys byzantina and had never heard that the bees use the soft down.

  • madpenguinmadpenguin Posts: 2,543
    I have also grown this for many years.Some years I noticed that the leaves had been torn to shreds,it turned out to be House Sparrows using them for their nests.
    “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
  • Grow it along with purple toadflax (Linaria purpurea) and hedge woundwort (Stachys sylvatica) to provide a paradise for the fascinating wool carder bee. 

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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Nice pic Davidimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Thanks!image Here's an anaglyph of wool carder bees mating. Red/cyan glasses required to view in 3D. 

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  • Here's a 2D version taken in 2006 when they first appeared in my garden, and have been very welcome visitors ever since.

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