Phenological imbalance in the supply and demand of floral resources: Half the pollen and nectar produced by the main autumn food source, <i>Hedera helix</i> , is uncollected by insects

Abstract Declines in floral resources, pollen and nectar, are considered one cause of pollinator decline. However, the supply demand resources can vary temporally. In Britain, autumn has been suggested as a period high resource availability due to flowering ivy ( Hedera helix ), common native plant, combined with fewer insects active during this season. Here, we directly quantified proportion nectar produced by ivy, primary food source, which is uncollected flower‐visiting insect community. We but comparing mass sugar accumulated insect‐accessible versus inaccessible flowers surveying presence wasted, crystalised, on flowers. Pollen wastage was counts anthers at start anthesis dropped from Approximately, half 59% 44% pollen, were community autumn. As most available autumn, our results show that large all wasted Our first season be characterised surplus relative collection insects. These demonstrate importance considering seasonal variation conservation bees other