Weeds. This book is a little gem! Special Offer to readers.
I have been gardening organically using the no-dig system since the mid-1980s and am a Life Member of the Good Gardeners Association. I have taught wildlife and organic gardening to many students and school children over the years. I am still learning myself! I am...
Another invasive species arrives in UK from imported plants
Another invasive flatworm arrived from imported pot plants Why we import plants is beyond me when we have plant breeders and nurseries here? Trade like this has once again let us and our wildlife down. It poses yet another threat to our wildlife, even though they are...
What’s happening to our conker trees?
Its a moth not rust that's affecting our conker trees Have you noticed whitish patches on the leaves of horse chestnut tree, which by the middle of summer, the whitish patches die and turn brown and you may believe that autumn has come early for the tree. Sometimes...
Are you aware of The Business of Bees?
Have bees affected our lives? On a very simplistic level, most of us know that bees provide us with fruit, honey and in the case of bumblebees, the sound of summer, with their buzzing as they busily brighten our blooms. We have formed an unequal partnership with bees...
Bee and other pollinator decline research paper links
Managing Solitary bees in my garden I am regularly asked why do I manage my solitary bees instead of just leaving them outdoors like most other people inside their bee house. I find it absolutely fascinating, educational and interesting. I have learnt so much about...
Osmia leaiana using Cotoneaster leaves for nest site video 17/9/16
Osmia leaiana making very late nest site The warm September weather certainly helped my little Osmia leaiana with her nest site inside one of my solitary bee observation nest boxes. I was wondering where she was collecting her nesting material from and eventually I...
Will the UK retain the neonicotinoid moratorium post-brexit? By Prof. Dave Goulson
Will the UK retain the neonicotinoid moratorium post-brexit? By Prof. Dave Goulson With thanks to Prof. Goulson for permission to use this article. Original here A couple of weeks ago the Society of Chemical Industry held a meeting in London to discuss “Are...
Video Osmia leaiana nesting in nest box till 25th Oct 2016 a record for me
Tough little Osmia leaiana sits it out till Late Oct 2016 In 2012 I had my last Osmia leaiana nesting at my new address although I made the film the year after. Her offspring never made it and I opened the cocoons to see why, late July 2013. Most of them were dead but...
Woodpecker damage to Nurturing Nature Orchard solitary bee nest box
Reasons to remove your solitary bee nest boxes 1. Parasitoids wasps, e.g. Monodontomerus This Nurturing Nature Orchard solitary bee nest box was completely full of Red Mason bee larvae, when in my own garden a short while after this photograph was taken. The larvae...
Asian hornets. A threat to solitary bees or bumblebees?
Are honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees safe from the Asian Hornet? The Asian Hornet, Vespa velutina, or yellow legged hornet, is the first invasive predator of honeybees and has now arrived in the UK. It is known to have caused serious problems for European...