Blogger: Aggie Rothon, Communitions Officer
Behind every great man there is a great woman, or so they saying goes. With 1900 people invited to Friday's royal wedding, McVities commissioned to make the cake and a gigantic bejewelled engagement ring, I wonder whether, now the celebrations are over, a fly-on-the-wall would find Kate picking up her new husbands balled up socks from the bathroom floor in her jogging bottoms whilst a shepherds pie bubbles quietly away in the oven waiting for Will's return from work. Probably not I imagine, but it would make doing the washing up more bearable.
It's different for bees however. The bumble bee, as much a herald of the warmer months as are cuckoos shouting in the distance, bluebells carpeting woodland with heady scent and butterflies on the wing. The low-flying aircraft of the insect world, drunk on nectar and heaving great pollen sacs from garden flower to garden flower. These are the workers, the man-bees, out there to hunter gather and avoid the inquisitive noses of family dogs. Tasked with not mistaking brightly coloured towels on the washing line for pollen laden treasure troves or bouncing off too many clean windows, the worker bees are sent out by the Queen. She lies regal in her hive, honey dripping gold from her carefully designed hexagonal bedroom, her children looking after themselves and every bee working for her comfort.
Not a bad life, or so it seems! But unfortunately bees are in decline and the survivors are having to rely more and more on our gardens with wildflowers being lost from fields and hedgerows. With an estimated 80% of pollination of our food crops being carried out by wild bees this is not only disastrous for the environment but could have serious consequences on what we eat in the future too.
Photo Credit: James Preece
Article in Eastern Daily Press on 1st May 2011