Wish I knew where all the butterflies are.I too spend a lot of time ridding my plants of bugs.Also we have an over abundance of mesquitoes this year.Never an ending battle,but I guess it's well the trouble.

I also noticed the lack of butterflies. Whats up with that? A trade off for a bumper year of japanese beetles? Everyday after work I'm messing with the darn things.

Where did the honeybees go? I have all sorts of seasonal flowers in my yard where I would expect to see them, but all I get are a few bumblebees and their relatives.

Butterflies and honeybees are having major problems with their populations and disease.
This does not seem to be effecting anything else. I've never had such slug damage before, I'm finding carpenter ants EVERYWHERE in the trees etc, and small ants are doing a pow wow on my roof, along every window sil etc. Crazy!

GGG

I'm hosting a slug family reunion at my house this year. They're everywhere and into everything. Likewise, thrips are overwhelming the garden and leaf footed bugs are in great abundance. JBs we don't have here, but at least my bee and butterfly population is intact. Brown schafer beetles are doing their annual by-the-billions march now as well.

I think I have thrips too. Something is on my purple hyacinth bean vine, and a few other things that are getting distorted that have never been a problem before. I'm breaking out the safers tomorrow!

GGG

I wonder if all the pesticides everyone is using to combat the beetles is taking it's toll on the sensitive butterflies faster than it effects the intended targets. I have seen very few in my yard either. I have a butterfly garden with only a few butterflies. I have only seen a couple swallowtails all year. And not as many hummingbirds either. I think my neighbors have killed them all with all the Sevin they are dousing their trees and shrubs with constantly.