[Fleecewife]

Hi All


I put a link in the wildlife section to a website which is all about wild bees.  There's some amazing information collected together there, stuff I've not been able to find elsewhere.  It's aimed at all levels, and to children as well as adults.
Do please have a look at the site.  As smallholders and gardeners, we are in a superb position to improve the lot of our wild bees, which are really struggling nowadays.  By understanding a bit more about the species, we can know what's best to do.  It's worth a few minutes of your time to have a browse.


[member=13]Rosemary[/member] you were looking for more information about bees and how we can help - this is so well worth a look and a link 




Here it is again in case you missed it http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Thanks for that [member=4333]Fleecewife[/member] I am trying to build my garden as bee friendly as possible, so this may help me

[Fleecewife]

I think you will find it useful WBF.  It mentions all the different kinds of bees, including honey bees, bumble bees and solitary bees, bee mimics, cuckoo bees, bee flies, etc.  Having read about them, I suddenly see that we have lots of solitary bees here     


It also de-scares wasps ie makes them more acceptable.  So many folk are petrified of wasps, but they are a real help in the garden and in agriculture.  Years ago I watched a yellow and black typical scary wasp working away in my allotment. It was searching in my lettuce patch in a very definite 'quartering' pattern, then it picked up a caterpillar and flew away with it back to its nest.  Now that's useful.  Wasps also pollinate flowers, and some types are parasitic on aphids and caterpillars.


Another point I picked up, which is obvious now it's been pointed out, is that bees don't just need flowers, for pollen and nectar, but they also need food plants for their larvae, so we need to factor that in in garden design.


I could go on and on about various things I've learnt from this site, but I'll let you have the fun of finding it all yourself.


Do let us know how your wildlife garden progresses.