Don’t buzzzzzz-off

There’s no clearer sign of the beginning of the long warm, balmy summer months (we hope) than spotting a bright yellow and black little bumblebee buzzing around the pretty shrubs and flowers in the garden.

Bumblebees are one of the quintessential signs of summer, but they’ve been hitting the headlines recently because their numbers are declining fast. Little bumblebees are one of the most loved insects of the UK, thanks to their sweet fluffy appearance, noisy buzz and excitable behaviour as they go about their daily toil. Not to mention the fact that they produce one of nature’s sweetest nectars – honey- make them a firm favourite with wildlife lovers everywhere.

Image by anitab0000 on sxc.hu

Their decline is not only sad because bees would be sorely missed in summer gardens and wildlife walks, but also because they are essential to the well-being of wildlife and to the food chain across the country. Changes in the way we use the land mean that huge swathes of wildflowers have been lost and so have a massive source of bumblebees’ food. In fact, two species of bumblebee are already extinct since 1940, and if we don’t do something to save the bumblebees soon, then many more will be consigned to the history books alongside dinosaurs and dodos.

If the population of bumblebees declines too sharply it will have huge impacts on our natural world. Bumblebees pollinate seeds and flowers, and help to pollinate a lot of the food crops that we eat such as strawberries, peas and apples. If we don’t save the bumblebees and they become extinct, estimates show that it could cost an extra £400 million pounds to pollinate such crops by other means which could mean that the cost of producing everyday fruits and vegetables could become too high for the average family to be able to afford.

Image by sykicktb on sxc.hu

So, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust are calling for the nation’s help to save the humble bumble. One of the simplest things we can all do is to plant some bee attracting flowers in our gardens or community areas. The trust is also running a series of Bumblebee walks where you can head out into the countryside to spot bees in your locality and to monitor how the bumblebee population is changing.

You could either attend one of the guided walks organised by the Trust, or create your very own bumblebee walk. Check the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s website for more details.

Help to save the bumblebees before it’s too late! Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz