insideKENT Magazine Issue 26 - May 2014 | Page 134
OUTDOORLIVING
bee kind
with these tips from
The Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Nothing says summer has arrived more than the sound of bumblebees buzzing
around flowers on a warm sunny day. Bumblebees are an essential part of the
countryside, responsible for pollinating crops and wildflowers. BY ROSEMARY FREE
White-tailed Bumblebee
However, in the past 80 years, two of the 26
species in the UK have become extinct and
several others are now extremely rare. As home
to six of the country’s seven rarest bees, Kent
has an important role to play in preserving the
populations of these important pollinators.
The Shrill carder bee – one of the most
threatened bumblebee species in the UK – is
now only found in seven locations, including
North Kent. On the south coast of Kent, the
Ruderal bumblebee has recently returned to
Dungeness after a 10-year absence. Other scarce
species found locally include the Brown-banded,
Red-shanked and Moss carder bees.
In addition, Kent and its neighbour East
Sussex are home to a pioneering project, which
aims to recreate flower-rich grassland in the
Dungeness area and reintroduce the extinct
Short-haired bumblebee to the UK. The
Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT), which
is one of the partners in the Short-haired
bumblebee project, is now calling on gardeners
to play their part by creating bee-friendly havens.
"Kent is one of, if not the most, important
counties in the country for bumblebees, with
good populations of several of the rare species
and the reintroduction of the Short-haired
bumblebee," says Richard Comont, BBCT data
monitoring officer.
"The coastal habitat in Kent, from Dungeness
round to the Thames estuary, is already brilliant
Garden Bumblebee
for bumblebees and we're working hard to make
it even better.
"Gardens can be a great resource for
bumblebees – the bees need flowers from March
to October, and increasingly gardens are the
only places they can find enough to keep going.
Wildlife-friendly gardening is often portrayed as
untidy and nettle-filled, but bumblebees' main
need is for flowers – nectar and pollen will keep
them buzzing all summer."
The queens from some species of bumblebee
– such as the Buff-tailed and Tree bumblebee,
will have already emerged from hibernation in
the last couple of months and established their
nests. Others, such as the Shrill carder, Brownbanded and Moss carder bees emerge from
hibernation much later, usually in mid-to-late
May. At this time of year, it is important to have
spring plants that are rich in nectar and pollen,
so that the queens can replenish their energy
after a winter without food.
However, before you head for your nearest
garden centre, it is important to remember that
not all flowers are suitable for bumblebees. Massproduced plants like pansies and double begonias
don't offer much for bumblebees and other
pollinators because they produce little or no
pollen and nectar. Others, such as petunias,
have flower shapes that bumblebees cannot
access – either because the petals form long
tunnels, which are too long or narrow for the
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bees to feed from, or because they have multiple
tightly packed heads.
Instead, opt for plants that will provide
plenty of nectar and pollen, but also have a variety
of flower shapes to cater for the needs of different
bee species. For long-tongued bumblebees –
including the Shrill carder bee and other rare
species – go for plants with tubular flowers such
as aquilegia, foxglove and monkshood.
Meanwhile, short-tongued bumblebees prefer
open flowers such as raspberry, blackberry, white
clover, thyme and small-flowered varieties of
sweet peas, which offer lovely colours and scents.
Summer is the time of the year when
bumblebee workers stock up on pollen and
nectar to feed the larvae and young bees in their
growing colony. A plentiful supply of flowers will
help increase the likelihood of a colony producing
a new generation of bumblebees.
Catmint, honeysuckle and viper’s bugloss
are all popular with long-tongued species, while
short-tongued bumblebees will feed on devil’s
bit scabius, bird’s