This archive brings together practical, experience-led articles from The Backyard Farmer, covering gardening, DIY, indoor growing, foraging, reviews, and sustainable living. Each post is written with real-world use in mind — focusing on working with nature, building practical skills, and making sustainable choices more accessible.
Introduction The Ivy Mining Bee (Colletes hederae) is a distinctive late-season solitary bee that has become increasingly familiar across the UK in recent decades. Unlike most bees, which peak in spring and summer, this species is most active in early autumn, closely timed with the
Introduction The Long-horned Bee (Eucera longicornis) is one of the UK’s most distinctive solitary bees, best known for the extremely long antennae of the males. Active from late spring into summer, it is most often seen flying low over flower-rich grassland and meadow habitats. This
Introduction The Common Furrow Bee (Lasioglossum calceatum) is one of the most widespread and frequently encountered small bees in the UK. Active for much of the year, it is often seen visiting low-growing flowers in gardens, parks, and grassy areas, though it is easily overlooked
Introduction The Orange-vented Mason Bee (Osmia leaiana) is a small but distinctive solitary bee found in parts of the UK, most active during late spring and early summer. It gets its common name from the warm orange colouring on the underside of the abdomen, which
Introduction The Green Eyed Flower Bee (Anthophora bimaculata) is a fast-flying and distinctive solitary bee, best known for its striking green eyes and early appearance in the year. It is one of the UK’s more eye-catching spring bees and is often noticed darting rapidly between
Introduction The Smeathman’s Furrow Bee (Lasioglossum smeathmanellum) is a small but widespread solitary bee commonly found across much of the UK. It is active for a long part of the year and is often overlooked due to its modest size and subtle colouring. You’re most
Introduction The Buffish Mining Bee (Andrena nigroaenea) is a common and widespread solitary bee in the UK, most often noticed in spring when it emerges to take advantage of early flowers. Its slightly variable colouring and busy activity make it a familiar sight in gardens,
Introduction The Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa) is one of the first solitary bees to appear in the UK each year, often emerging in early spring when few other bees are active. Its early arrival makes it an important pollinator at a time when flowering
Introduction The Vestal Cuckoo Bee (Bombus vestalis) is a striking and unusual bumblebee species found across much of the UK. Unlike most bumblebees, it does not build its own nest or raise workers. Instead, it is a cuckoo bee, meaning it takes over the nests
Introduction The Red-shanked Carder Bee (Bombus ruderarius) is a scarce and declining bumblebee species in the UK, most often associated with warm, flower-rich grasslands and lightly managed countryside. It is typically active from late spring through summer and is known for its subtle colouring and
Introduction The Bilberry Bumblebee (Bombus monticola) is a distinctive upland bumblebee closely associated with moorland and mountainous landscapes in the UK. It is most active during the warmer months, where it plays an important role in pollinating plants adapted to harsher, cooler environments. You’re unlikely
Introduction The Short-haired Bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus) is a rare and historically significant bumblebee species in the UK. Once widespread across southern England, it is now best known for its dramatic decline and subsequent reintroduction efforts aimed at restoring this lost pollinator to suitable habitats. This