Saving the Bumblebees!

Bumblebees are beautiful little creatures !They are also important pollinators of wildflowers and crops. 3 species are now extinct and 9 more are threatened - they need our help...

It isn't difficult to make your yard, garden or even patio space a haven for beneficial bees. You'll be helping these important insects, as well as bringing more nature to your backdoor. We sell the Bumblebee Nester at £15.99 This nester is ideal to attract bees to your garden.

Bumblebees also love plants of course!The greater the plant diversity, the more bees you will attract and support. Always try to choose as many native plants as possible, and consult with nursery staff or other experts to find vegetation that will thrive in your specific conditions.Here is a partial list of bee attractors:

Annuals

Asters

Calliopsis

Clover

Marigolds

Poppies

Sunflowers

Zinnias

Perennials

Buttercups

Clematis

Cosmos

Crocuses

Dahlias

Echinacea

English

Ivy

Foxglove

Geraniums

Germander Globe

Thistle

Hollyhocks

Hyacinth

Roses

Sedum

Tansy

Yellow Hyssop

Garden Garlic

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust need your help! In order to conserve our bumblebees, it's crucial that we understand them. Here's where you can help.....

Beewatch 2008
They urgently need your help to map the distributions of our bumblebees (even the common species). Please record what species you see in your garden, or when out for a walk. Try to identify them yourself, but if you're uncertain then take a digital photograph and email it to the trust - they will identify it and let you know what species you have. Please include a post-code (or grid-ref) and date in your email to beewatch@bumblebeeconservationtrust.co.uk

Nest Box Trial
These days most good wildlife gardens contain several bird nesting boxes. The birds use them, and we love watching them building their nests and raising chicks. Not surprisingly, bumblebees need homes too! They probably struggle to find natural nesting sites, so the trust are keen to encourage people to start providing artificial sites in their gardens.....

Hypnorum Survey
The Trust are keen to record the spread of our new arrival, the Tree Bumblebee (B. hypnorum). This species arrived about 6 years ago from France, and is gradually spreading north. It's a very distinctive looking bee - take a photo if you can and let them know where you see it!

Can trees help cure Asthma?

A new study has found that trees really can have an impact on children's health!

Children who live on tree-lined streets have lower rates of asthma, suggesting that those leafy green areas may be as important to public health as they are to quality of life. The study focused on rates of asthma among four- and five-year-olds in New York City. Researchers with the British Medical Journal published their findings in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

With asthma rates climbing – up 50% nationwide between 1980 and 2000, with the greatest increase in urban communities – a solution as simple as tree planting would be a welcome. The benefit of trees was felt regardless of proximity to pollution sources, family income or population density.

Unfortunately, the study found no benefit to older children.

Trees shade buildings and sidewalks, helping to lower temperatures and keep energy costs down, and they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to limit the growth of greenhouse gases that fuel to global warming.