Observations on two commercial flower mixtures as food sources for beneficial insects in the UK

Observations were made in 1994 and 1995 in Hertfordshire of the flowering phenology and attractiveness to beneficial insects of two commercial mixtures of flowering plants intended for set-aside land. These were the Tübingen Mixture from Germany and Ascot Linde SN from the Netherlands. The mixtures were visited by 14 species of Hymenoptera, 14 species of syrphid Diptera and six species of Lepidoptera. Although the mixtures contained 12 and five plant species respectively, Phacelia tanacetifolia was the dominant species to establish, flower and attract insects in both mixtures. The other plants contributed little to flower density or insect diversity. These mixtures are therefore not suitable for UK needs using the present proportions of plant species.