1st Red Mason female bee feeding 2016 on fructose video

1st Red Mason female bee feeding 2016 on fructose video

Cold, chilled 1st Female Red Mason bee 2016 On 21st April, the weather here was unseasonably warm in my south facing sun trap garden. Early afternoon, I looked inside my orchard bee nest box.  and saw two Red Mason males (Osmia bicornis) had emerged and flown away,...
Wildlife Gardening, Butterflies and Citizen Science

Wildlife Gardening, Butterflies and Citizen Science

Help solve the mystery of the UK’s back garden butterflies Butterfly Conservation’s newly launched Garden Butterfly Survey will attempt to lift the lid on how garden butterflies are faring. The survey will reveal garden butterfly declines and increases, how they...
Help the Soil Association get a permanent ban on neonicotinoids

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...
Solitary bee nests and suitability for bees

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...
Early mining bee (Andrena clarkella?) nest site

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...
What good are wasps? Many are garden pest predators! video

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...