Learning to like Hogweed for its enormous populations of feeding insects including Mellinus arvensis, Digger wasp.

Mellinus arvensis

Such is the profusion of flies and wasps that feed on Hogweed that I have allowed it to flower in my garden and will spread the seeds around in the wild parts.

These pictures are from Wolstonbury Hill yesterday and I'm pleased to see the Digger wasp, Mellinus arvensis with a Common wasp and numerous species of flies of all sizes.

 Mellinus arvensis digs its nest in sand and stocks it with large flies, especially hover flies for its grubs to feast upon.  See http://www.david.element.ukgateway.net/hymenoptera23.htm for some amazing photo's of this wasp.  On the same flowers was a Wasp eating spider(?) last week.   click here to go to that entry on this blog.

Perhaps the Chelsea flower show will have a few Hogweeds in the herbaceous borders next year if this idea catches on.  They are very statuesque plants and make a great statement.