TV presenter Michaela Strachan has joined with Friends of the Earth to urge people to create bee-friendly gardens and spaces, to help our bees and other threatened pollinators.
The Great British Bee Count
Michaela is also calling on people to take part in the Great British Bee Count this month (19 May-30 June).
Sign up for the Great British Bee Count
Using a free smartphone app people can record the bees they spot in their gardens, parks and countryside - and help gather information on our precious pollinators.
Michaela said: “Bees are such an important species to our ecosystems, but they desperately need our help.
Using a free smartphone app people can record the bees they spot in their gardens, parks and countryside - and help gather information on our precious pollinators.
Michaela said: “Bees are such an important species to our ecosystems, but they desperately need our help.
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. “So bee inspired to buzz off and get planting and counting.†The campaign is backed by top bee expert Professor Dave Goulson, who said: “Britain’s bees are facing multiple threats, from loss of flower meadows and quiet 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.
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 pollinatorsThe Great British Bee Count is organised by Friends of the Earth, with support from Buglife, and sponsorship from Waitrose.
Ways to help bees
Friends of the Earth has 6 simple tips to make our gardens, allotments, schools, streets and patios more attractive to bees:- Buy nectar and pollen-rich plants. Bees see purple better than other colours, so fill your garden with purple flowers like lavender and borage.Tubular-shaped flowers like lupins and foxgloves provide a good landing place for bees to feed. Read Friends of the Earth’s free guide to help you choose.
- If you have a lawn, leave some dandelions and clover to flower for the bees. Resist the urge to zap all the dandelions on your patio. A messy corner will help bees and other wildlife too.
- Avoid using pesticides. They have been linked to bee decline.
- No garden? No problem. Grow herbs like chives, sage and rosemary in pots outside your door or in a windowbox. Bees will visit them when they are in flower.
- Feed yourself and the bees too. Bees love certain fruits and veg when they are in flower.
- Provide a clean source of water with a shallow bowl with a few pebbles for the bees to land on.