Bee Friendly

• A survey completed in 2008 showed an 80% drop in the number of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) colonies
• In 2009 alone 1/5 of all bee colonies did not survive the winter.
• There are 25 native species of Bumble Bee (Bombus sp.) in the UK, 3 of these are already extinct due to habitat loss.
• Pollination by Honeybees contributes £165 million annually to the UK Agricultural economy.
• Bees are most attracted to purples, blues, yellows and whites.

Common garden bees include;

• Red Mason Bee (Osmia rufa)
• Honey Bee (Apis melifera)
• Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
• Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
• Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
• White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)
• Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)

Bee Advice

• Bees need to drink too - place a shallow bowl of water in the garden, add pebbles to enable bees to climb in and out.
• Allow a patch of grass to grow longer to provide cover for bees and other insects.
• Sow native wildflowers rich in nectar and pollen to attract bees and consider a variety of winter, early spring and late autumn flowering plants which are nectar and pollen rich, such as Heathers, Viburnum x bodnantense, Viburnum tinus, Ribes and Mahonia's.