But why is it so important we need to help bees? Bees are a vital species. They are perfectly adapted to pollinate, helping plants grow, breed and produce food. They do so by transferring pollen between flowering plants and so keep the cycle of life turning. If you look at the plate of food on your dinner table, bees have played their part either pollinating the many vegetables and fruits we eat directly or pollinating the food for the animals that we then consume.
What threats do bees face: loss of nectar rich flowers on roadsides / in our gardens, use of pesticides, habitat loss and increasing development all harms bees.
There are some simple activities below you can do in your garden to help the humble bee.
Build a Bee B&B:
Offer solitary bees five-star accommodation with an easy-to-make hotel (please see the image above). Solitary bees aren’t like honeybees that live in hives. As their name suggests, they make their nests on their own and lay their eggs in tunnels, such as in dead wood or hard soil. A bee B&B mimics these conditions. You can make your bee B&B whenever the mood takes you, but spring is when potential residents are queueing up for the best new abode.
Please see bit.ly/beebandb for full instructions on how to make a bee B&B.
Grow bee friendly flowers in your garden:
Help bees by growing different flowers and shrubs that are full of nectar and pollen, to give them a rich feeding ground throughout the year.
Many flowers and shrubs found in garden centres are no good for bees – they just don't produce any nectar or pollen. We can help you choose wisely to provide a veritable feast for the bees.
Bee friendly Spring plants:
Aubretia, carpet bugle, spotted deadnettle, lungwort, and snake's-head fritillary all provide food for early bumblebees and solitary bees.
Bee friendly Summer plants:
Allium species, borage, catmint, ornamental thistles such as Cirsium rivulare, foxglove and most herbs will throng with all manner of different wild bees.
Bee friendly Autumn plants:
Cosmos, Verbena bonariensis, Dahlias (single-flowered) and ivy give bees a source of nectar well into autumn.
Bee friendly Winter plants:
Crocus, hellebores, Mahonia species and winter heather (Erica carnea) will provide food for late-flying and early-emerging in bumblebees during colder months.
A simple, but effective, activity to help bees is to create a bee bowl. Find an empty bowl, put some stones inside and fill with water so that some of the stones top surface is exposed. Bees can safely land on the stones to have a drink.
If you take part in any of these activities, please take a photo and upload it to the Flatford Wildlife Garden blog or send to amy.ward@rspb.org.uk.
Remember to have fun whatever you decide to do to help nature!
Thank you.
Amy Ward
Visitor Experience Officer
Flatford Wildlife Garden