THE Plight of the Bumble Bee
Two things have happened;
1. I
discovered the concern of environmentalists about the unexplained
deaths and depopulation of honey bees. (already written about that)
2. I discovered The Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT) and RSPB (Royal Society for Protection of Birds) Scotland,
joined forces to transform a field into a wildflower meadow, with a
special trail for visitors. Effectively they have created a Bumblebee
sanctuary!!
This meadow is situated at Vane Farm nature reserve, beside Loch Leven, Kinross, Scotland,
(must add it to my ‘have to see’ list). It has been reported that rare
and endangered bumblebees are happily swarming to the sanctuary. The
already rare Blaeberry Bumblebee, with its distinctive red, furry, tum
has made its home in this meadow. The critically endangered Great Yellow
Bumblebee has not yet been seen there but the conservationists are
hopeful.
Dr Ben Darvill, director of the Conservation trust has been quoted as saying;
Blaeberry bumblebee
“Wildflowers and crops alike depend on the hard work of our endearing bumblebees but, sadly, many species are now under threat. Habitat
loss has already led to the extinction of three species and several
more are severely threatened. Hay meadows and clover leys are now seldom
seen in today’s farmland, leaving little for bumblebees to feed on, so
both farmers and conservationists need to do what they can to help. A
legume-rich seed mixture was used in the meadow to create a habitat
which allows bumblebees to thrive.’’
Dr Dave Beaumont, head of reserves ecology for RSPB Scotland, also spoke out saying,
‘’helping
bumblebees is an essential part of managing the ecosystem. The
partnership with BBCT has allowed us to convert what was a
normal-looking green field into a spectacular wild flower meadow that
grabs all of the senses when you walk through it. The balance of nature
can be very sensitive to disturbance. Bumblebees are often referred to
as keystone species, because the loss of their pollination services
could have a devastating impact on the ecosystem. By ensuring we have
healthy bumblebee populations on our reserves, we ensure the habitat is
healthy, which in turn is good for the birds.”
Great Yellow Bumblebee
Butterflies,
hoverflies and other insects are also using the meadow - and the
abundant bug life is benefiting the swallows and skylarks which feed on
them. The most commonly quoted information, which is fast becoming a
mantra for Bumblebee conservationists, is
Bumblebees
are often referred to as key-stone species, because the loss of their
pollination services could have a devastating impact on the whole
ecosystem
Cardinal Bumblebee
Visitors
to the site are fast beginning to realise that seeing and hearing a
multitude of bumblebees, butterflies and hoverflies visiting the wild
flower patchwork of reds, yellows and blues; And experiencing the almost
forgotten scent of wildflowers in the air, evokes memories of a once
common, now almost extinct habitat. This experience comes before any
thought of the bumblebees for whom it was all created.
People
are beginning to realise we can’t ignore what is happening around us
for ever. The delicate balance of nature is very sensitive to
disturbance and change.
The
involvement of the RSPB in bumblebee preservation and conservation is
understandable when we think about the consequences of NOT taking
conservation action. By ensuring bumblebee populations on our reserves
multiply and remain healthy, we ensure the habitat itself is healthy,
which in turn is very good for the birds.
Source;
1. July Press & Journal
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And this is one to visit, the Bumblebee Conservation trust
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6 Comments
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forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 27, '08
well
from what I read there is a more serious problem with the honey bees in
America and they think it's to do with shipping hives of these bees
around the country to pollinate vast areas of agricultural
land..............not sure but know the problems are different over
there to the problems here. The whole thing is quite scary though we all
need our bees
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brendainmad wrote on Jul 27, '08
We
all should be thankful that there are such organisations looking out
for our wildlife (and us). One of my friends' father was from Kinross.
This must be a beautiful reserve and I hope you do go there.
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veroniquemariquita wrote on Jul 27, '08
A
strange thing has happened the past two weeks here in central West
Virginia, US. In my yard I have only seen one honey bee. but the small
bumblebees. (sorry I don't know their exact name) tiny black and white
or yellow striped bees, are more numerous than I have ever seen them.
They cover every flower and can be seen about one every foot on the yard
clover.
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Very
good and very informative. Much enjoyed the videos too.
Interestingly, I am sitting here watching an old (aren't they all)
episode of "To the Manor Born." The story is about bees, their
abundance and the making of honey at home for profit. Lots of dialog
about the bees being here before we were and being here after we are
gone. Little did they know.
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kathyinozarks wrote on Jul 26, '08
thank you for this very informative blog-really learned alot and enjoyed the pics
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