Futures Forum: Do Something Great for nature >>> with BBC Springwatch this weekend
Citizen science - get involved
- Read about how you helped make The Big Spring Watch a success
- Have you seen a little owl? Log your sightings at UK Little Owl Project
- Have you seen a stag beetle?
- Canal & River Trust water vole survey - download the free app or email
- National Trust’s interactive coastal bioblitz
- Caithness seawatching on Facebook - log your sightings
- Orkney Skate Trust - Found a flapper skate egg case?
BBC Two - Springwatch
BBC Two - Springwatch - Springwatch Do Something Great
And one project it is promoting is recording our bee population:
The Great British Bee Count app: Are you doing your bit for our bumbling friends?
About the Great British Bee Count
This year's Great British Bee Count is bursting with loads of fun ways you can monitor our buzzing garden friends.
Why do we need to count bees?
Bees help pollinate hundreds of our main crops including apples, strawberries and tomatoes.
The UK has lost a shocking 20 species of bee, and a further quarter are on the red list of threatened species. A big reason is that bees depend on flowers for food - and in the past 60 years 97% of our wildflower meadows have disappeared.
But the good news is that you can help change things. By planting flowers rich in nectar and pollen you can start to replenish their lost habitat.
So join in – get planting and start counting - and let’s get Britain buzzing again.
About the Great British Bee Count | Friends of the Earth
Great British Bee Count - what you need to know
- Join the Great British Bee Count with our free app and find out more about bees
- Bee count backed by TV presenter Michaela Strachan
- Survey shows we struggle to recognise bees
Can you tell the difference betwween a bumblebee and a honey bee? According to a survey for Friends of the Earth, the majority of us can't.
The findings come as Friends of the Earth launches its annual Great British Bee Count, which is backed by TV's Michaela Strachan and runs until 30 June.
About the Great British Bee Count
The Great British Bee Count aims to help people find out more about:
- how to recognise our common species
- the incredible diversity of bee species in Britain (over 250)
- the threats bees face
- what you can do to help bees.
Using a free app, people can record the bees they spot in their gardens, parks, schools and countryside. Over 100,000 individual bee sightings were recorded in 2015.
TV presenter Michaela Strachan said:
“Bees are so important to our ecosystems, but they desperately need our help.
There are 2 very easy ways that you can do your bit. You can help create bee friendly habitats and you can get involved in bee counts.
“Bees are great for gardens so choose bee-friendly plants and see how many bees you can attract."
“You can also take part in the Great British Bee Count. It's fun, free and will really help you to learn more about our precious bees."
Our YouGov bee survey
Although surveys indicate public concern for bees, 43% of those questioned mistakenly chose a bumblebee when asked to identify a honey bee.
A third (33%) correctly chose a honey bee.
Friends of the Earth is encouraging people to get outside in the next few weeks and find out more about the huge number of bee species in the UK, and the crucial role they play pollinating our wild plants, garden flowers and crops.
Bee expert Professor Dave Goulson said:
“Britain’s bees are facing multiple threats, from loss of flower meadows andquiet places to nest, and from the many pesticides used in most modern farming.
“The good news is that we can all play a part in helping them.
"Making our gardens and allotments more friendly to bees is easy to do – and can help make a real difference.
“If you don’t have a garden you can ask your school, housing association or council to create bee friendly spaces.
Imagine if every garden, park and school grounds had bee-friendly flowers, and we grew wild flowers on our roundabouts and road verges; our towns and cities could become huge nature reserves for pollinators.
The Great British Bee Count is organised by Friends of the Earth, with support from Buglife, and sponsorship from Waitrose.
Main picture: Female hairy-footed flower bee, by Debbie Wright
JOIN THE GREAT BRITISH BEE COUNT TODAY! | Friends of the Earth
See also:
Futures Forum: Lobbying over the Roundup weedkiller >>> again >>> crunchtime: Tuesday 14th June
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