Out & About Summer 2021

Bee kind Bees have been

on the decline in recent times, but many organisations are campaigning to create ‘bee-friendly’ environments and with the increase in wildflower areas and raised awareness of the importance of bees the decline can be reversed

M ore than 270 species of bee have been recorded in Great Britain, but since 1900, the UK has lost 13 species, and a further 35 are still considered under threat of extinc- tion. The Honey bee is probably the best- known bee, alongside the bumblebee, but both have seen a decline in numbers in the last 80 years. Bumblebees are familiar and much-loved insects that pollinate our crops and wildflowers, so it is important to create an environment where they can thrive. The Bumblebee Conservation Trust is one of many dedicated charities on a mission to increase the number and distribution of bumblebees. According to buglife.org.uk: “The south of England is of national importance for bees and other pollinating insects due to the unique conditions resulting from a combination of a favourable climate and great diversity of high-quality habitats like coastal cliffs, sand dunes, wildflower grasslands, heathland and moorland, expanses of chalk downland, lowland heathland, coastal and floodplain marshes and important ex-industrial (brownfield) habitats. Pollinators are extremely valuable to farmers due to the region’s major fruit-growing and arable areas.”

plants we eat and encouraging our environment to naturally flourish Wildflower verges, areas of private gardens .

The organisation says that the region is home to nationally rare and threatened bees, and “for some species, the south of England supports a national stronghold or the last known population in the UK, including the Brown-banded carder bee (Bombus humilis), Long-horned bee (Eucera longicornis), Shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum), Potter Flower Bee (Anthophora retusa) and Phantom Hoverfly (Doros profuges)”. Bees play a pivotal role as go-betweens in nature’s life cycle, pollinating the www.beefriendlytrust.org l The British Bee Charity www.britishbeecharity.com l The British Beekeepers Association www.bbka.org.uk Find out more about Bee conservations and charities and projects from these organisations: l The Bumblebee Conservation Trust www.bumblebeeconservation.org l Buglife www.buglife.org.uk l Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust www.bbowt.org.uk l Beefriendly Trust

or even just growing in a pot are a bee-

friendly solution to encouraging th insects to flouris The best flowe can plant for bees e

h. rs you

Purple flowers like lavender, buddleja and catmint, are a good choice because bees can see purple more clearly than other colours. Tubular-shaped flowers like foxgloves and snapdragons are also effective, as well as herbs such as thyme and rosemary. If you are going for seasonal choices then honeysuckle and clematis are good for the winter; bluebells, rhododendrons and forget-me- nots the spring; delphiniums, foxgloves and hollyhocks in early summer, and dahlias, cornflowers and ivy in late summer. You can also help bees by planting certain fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, onions, peas, beans, courgettes and cucumbers.

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O&A SUMMER 2021