Something Wild is A-BUZZ in the Garden!

Have you heard the buzzing in your flower beds, borders or balcony? As spring takes flight bees are waking up, emerging from their winter refuges, and becoming active in our gardens, green spaces, and wider countryside.

But did you know? Not all bees make honey! As well as our domestic hive-living honey bee, there are around 250 species of wild bee in the uk. Some of these bees are threatened, some are very rare, and all are vital to the health of our ecosystems. Bees are important pollinators, not just of flowers but also crops, so play a critical role in food production.

Wild bees can be broadly separated into two groups: bumblebees (24 species), and solitary bees (around 225 species!). With pressures such as intensified farming and the decline in wildflower species, both these groups of bees are facing a struggle to survive. The vital role bees play in the ecosystem means that any decline in their numbers, or indeed the loss of any species, is an important issue for us all.

Luckily, there is a lot that you and I can do!

This year, Wild About Gardens campaign, a partnership between the Wildlife Trusts and the RHS, is celebrating our precious bees, and encouraging us all to notice and to help our buzzing friends!

Please check out the Wild About Gardens website here for all the info, and ideas on how you can take part in this exciting project including downloading your very own Bee Action Kit!

Check out my next blog post too for lots of links, tips, and ideas…so together, we can keep our gardens buzzing!