Help the Soil Association get a permanent ban on neonicotinoids
Help the Soil Association to achieve a total ban of neonicotinoids. The new DDT? Something unthinkable is happening. Neonicotinoids are still contaminating our countryside, and poisoning our wildlife. A new study from Sussex University, part-funded by the Soil...
Bumblebee queen killed by probably a Great tit or a robin
Predatory bird kills bumblebee queen After months of hibernating the bumblebee queen eagerly sets out to feed up and start her colony. It's her life's quest. Likewise, a predatory bird, probably a Great tit or even a robin, itself getting into breeding condition, sees...
Butterflies slump in colder than average summer – Butterfly Conservation
Small Copper slumps as butterflies struggle One of the UK’s most widespread butterflies, the Small Copper, has suffered its worst year on record and is now in a state of significant decline, a study has revealed. The summer of 2015 was cooler than average with the...
Spot the resting bumblebee queen B. terrestris in my wildlife garden
Spot the queen bumblebee resting in my wildflower meadow Lovely sunny weather today, had a very large B. terrestris queen earlier in the day feeding and resting. Later in the afternoon, found this one resting in my new wildflower lawn, part of my wildlife garden....
Solitary bee nests and suitability for bees
Bamboo canes and nesting blocks for solitary bees In the right hands, bamboo canes have been successfully used for years to attract solitary bees to nest inside. The key words here are 'in the right hands'. People who successfully use them know what bees need, how to...
Hedgehog legal protection Government response
Get HM Parliament to debate hedgehogs and do something useful for our declining wildlife for a change!! Sign the petition please, see below. Government response to the petition I signed: Give the hedgehog better legal protection in order to reverse its decline. We...
Early mining bee (Andrena clarkella?) nest site
Early mining solitary bee nest site National Wildflower Centre Liverpool video Probably one of the earliest solitary bees to emerge, Andrena clarkella. On this lovely March afternoon (14th) there were far more males than females. Most of the nest sides were south of...
Garden hedgehog decline, solution and success
Hedgehogs are in decline. When did you last see one in your garden? I am surprised that many people have never seen a living hedgehog. Road kill hedgehogs yes, but not living ones.. Why is this? They are declining. I don't see as many dead on the roads as I used to...
What good are wasps? Many are garden pest predators! video
Many solitary and social wasps are pest controllers! Not all wasps sting us! In fact, most do not. They never show any interest in humans whatsoever. Yet they have such a bad name because a few may sting. They prey upon smaller invertebrates. Stinging social wasps and...
Do female leafcutter bees give a ‘hands off’ signal to males
Do female solitary bees give 'hands-off' signals to harassing males? Female solitary bees are accosted by males especially if they believe her to be receptive. Fertilised females are very busy with the physical and time demands of collecting pollen or other materials...