Bumblebee ID Training

Recently I had a wonderful informative day attending a bumblebee identification workshop on a local estate. The training event was organised and ran by Bumblebee Conservation Trust.  I was lucky enough to find out about this training day in plenty of time that I could attend, as I have recently had a tendency of finding out after the event. Another major bonus was that the training day was taking place only about ten minutes from my home.

At this time of year gardens, hedgerows and open spaces are buzzing with the noise of bumblebees. I should admit that this training day was a real eye opener for me as I didn’t really know much about bumblebees. I hadn’t really thought about the amount of different bumblebees that there actually are. At the event we spent the morning learning about the life cycle of the bumblebee and the different species and how to identify them. After the theory work we stopped for some lunch. After lunch we ventured outside to do some surveying and practical identification.

Introduction to bumblebees

In total there is two hundred and fifty species of bumblebee in the United Kingdom, which consists of twenty four species of bee, one species of honey bee and the rest are solitary bees. Bumblebees tend to only live for a year. Typically bumblebees are found in the northern hemisphere.

Honeybees V Bumblebees

One of the common questions is what the difference between the honeybee and bumblebee is. The honeybees are domesticated and live in controlled hides. There is only one species of honeybees. Their hides tend to have about fifty thousand worker bees and the colony will survive during the winter, although they can be highly affected by disease. The honeybee does what is known as a waggledance. Bumblebees on the other hand are wild and there is a number of different species. There tends to be between fifty and four hundred worker bees per nest. Bumblebees do not do a dance and it is only the queen bee that will survive during the winter.


Reasons for Declining Numbers

Honeybees are on decline due to the diseases that are present in hives whereas the bumblebee numbers are declining due to the loss of their habitats. One of the main reason that bumblebee numbers are decreasing is that they are losing their habitat and since the 1940’s about ninety eight per cent of flowering green land has been lost due to more intensive farming methods. Over the years farmers have taken out hedgerows in order to make bigger fields so that they can be more economical. Heavy grazing is another reason that bumblebees have been losing their natural habitats

Bumblebee Conservation Trust

This trust is concerned with the conservation of bumblebees all across the United Kingdom. The trust aims to raise public and political awareness of the bumblebee at the same time as promoting land and garden management that is bumblebee friendly. If you would like to find out more about the trust their website can be found at www.bumblebeeconservation.org.

The Importance of Conserving Bumblebees

Bumblebees are endearing and familiar insects in the garden and they are often described as the sound and sight of the summer months. Bumblebees are also very important for pollination of many crops and wildflowers. The pollination work that is carried out by bumblebees is worth many millions to the economy in the United Kingdom.

Summer Is Here

Well last month was very busy with project work and exams for my degree. Now that all of that is out of the way I can now focus on more enjoyable things such as wildlife surveys and writing posts for this blog.

I am off university now till late September but I have plenty of things planned to keep me busy. So far in June I have attend a bumblebee workshop and done some hours for RSPB (I volunteer as a conservation and site administration assistant).

The rest of this month will be taken up with RSPB work, setting up and conducting bumblebee surveys, various other surveys and writing posts for this blog.

The Decline of The Lapwing

During the early spring months, when the mornings start to get slightly warmer and nights begin to get a bit lighter. The frost in the early mornings will start to retreat and some of the brave people have been starting to discard their thick winter coats and venture into wearing lighter garments. At this time of year there is also other air changes happening in a lot of different areas of the United Kingdom. There are certain areas of the UK that become deserted such as the upland moorland in the Northumberland and there has not been much in this area except red grouse. When the spring starts to approach these areas will start to show indications of new life.

Spring is a lovely time of year when the skies are filled with cries from the curlews, meadow pipits start to flutter through the grassy heather whilst the golden plumage of plover is shining in the sunshine. There is one other birds which is common to these habitats. This bird swoops and dives over moorland and fields whilst its quick wingbeats make a loud humming noise as it flies past and it makes pee wit echoes which sound like an iconic flute all-round the countryside, this bird is the lapwing.

The lapwing tend to be known as a few different names which includes the peewit, green plover and its scientific name which is Vanellus vanellus. Regardless of the name that you use for them there is no mistaking that this is an enchanting species however it is sadly lacking in numbers. The lapwing species is struggling somewhat on the shores of the United Kingdom. The struggle for this breed is now at a point where it has been listed on the Red List of Birds that are a Conservation Concern.

The concerning thing is that the decline of the lapwing first started on the shores of the United Kingdom back in the 1800s. It is thought that the decline during this period was due to people collecting lapwing eggs for food and this was later stopped under the Lapwing Act which came into effect in 1926 and this prohibited such practices. Following 1926 the lapwing numbers increased however by 1940s they were in trouble again, this time it was thought to be due to the change in farmland usage, as grassland was being converted into arable land, marginal lands were being drained and intensified usages of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. The population of lapwing stabilised in 1960s albeit at a much lower level.

Since the 1960s however things have not improved. Grasses are shorter and pastures have improved therefore the eggs of lapwings have become victim of the increased amount of livestock who trample on the eggs. The increased drainage, tillage and pesticides have reduced the food sources for the lapwing. Rotational farming has disappeared over the years and this has reduced the land which is available for habitat mosaics which lapwings need in order to be able to rear chicks successfully.

The decline of the lapwing has actually been greater in Wales and Southern England, as the intensification of farming has been greater. Overall the lapwing has seen a decline of about eighty per cent since 1960.

The breeding of lapwings is not very successful and they produce less than one chick per pair each year. This is not even one chick a year but this is due to so many different areas getting converted into improved grassland and they need to exceed the mortality of rates of the adult, which is not as easy as it may sound.

Although all of the information makes it look very bleak for the lapwing do not get too depressed. There are actually areas where the lapwing are thriving. Upland areas that have rough grazing is one example of areas where these birds are doing well as they provide the sort of habitat that is required. It is still possible that the declining numbers can be reversed and the breed could thrive again. This reversal could happen if better methods of farming are adopted, as this would allow for mosaic habitats of grassland and springtime crops, whilst having areas that have been unimproved and damp grassland. That is all very easy to say but it is easy to say it but harder to actually do it. There is some programs in the United Kingdom that offer grants to landowners who farm their land in ways which will benefit the lapwing, however there is still a lot about this breed that is unknown.

Gardening Jobs for This Week

The weather is looking a bit unsettled this week, therefore it might be a bit tricky trying to get anything done in the garden. There is one job that can be carried out indoors when the rain is on and this is to make a bug box. A bug box will encourage a range of insects into the garden including bees, ladybirds and lacewings. The bug box will give the insects somewhere to hibernate and provide some shelter. These boxes are very easy to build and will only take up to about two hours to construct. These are a great idea for people who want to look after wildlife in their own garden area and make the most of the balance between beneficial insects and the garden pests.

In a flower garden this week the jobs which should be on the to-do list include to give support to young delphinium by tying them and this will help with the growth. Sow hardy annual flower seeds directly into the beds where you would like them to grow. Roses should be starting to get watered on a regular basis especially if they are vulnerable to disease. Life and divide the clumps of hemerocallis.  Take time to secure clematis shoots that are emerging so that they have a bit of support and take care not to snap the fragile stems.

In the fruit and vegetable garden this week the jobs which you should be tackling is to plant the herbs into decorative plants whilst keeping them close to the house so that they can easily be reached. If you are growing early potatoes pull up soil around the shoots that are developing. Start sowing salad crops and this should be a regular job with about three weeks in between the sowings so that they can regularly be picked. If you have leggy rosemary bushes them take some time to trim them as this will promote new bush growth. Take time to sow seeds for lettuce, salad leaves, spinach, rocket, radish, watercress, cauliflower, mizuna, cabbage and Brussel sprouts.

The jobs that should be on the to-do list for the greenhouse this week are to prick out petunia seedling after they have developed two true leaves. Sow runner beans and French beans into pots. Take time to put up shade netting if the sun is hot and the conditions are warm. Plant up patio pots and hanging baskets with summer bedding. Purchase young plants of nerines, agapanthus and tulbaghia for growing in pots to give some summer colour. Take some time to regularly check plants for any signs of pests and hang up yellow sticky traps amongst plants to catch flying pests and whitefly.    

There is some other jobs that could be tackled around the garden this week and take time to mow the lawn on a regular basis and gradually lower the height of the cut as the spring progresses. Use weedkiller to treat any problems weeds such as brambles and nettles.  Tidy up hedges in the garden however before cutting them, take time to ensure that there is no birds nesting in it. Have some large sheets of fleece nearby which you can use to protect the plants from frost (this is certainly advisable with the current unpredictable weather). Build log piles at the back of borders so that garden wildlife have somewhere to shelter. Rake up any dead leaves that are in the garden.  

This Week In The Garden

One of the main jobs that need to be done in the garden this week is to pinch out the fuchsias. One of the best ways to get a good amount of bushy growth and a lot of flowers is to regularly pinch out the tips. This will encourage the side shoots and strengthen the growth in order to support the weight of the summer flowers. The pinching out should be done about three or four times between spring and early summer as this will give the best results. This job should take about five minutes per plant.

In the flower garden this week the jobs that you should be looking at doing are to plant out perennials in groups of either three, five or seven to maximise the effect. Sprinkle some fertiliser around tulips in order to boost the amount of flowering. This week you should be trying to get hardy annual plants sown directly into the beds where you would like them to flower. Take time to prune Himalayan honeysuckle and remove dead flower hears from the spring bulbs. Take some time to also protect emerging shoots of lupins and delphiniums from pests such as slugs and this can be done by using a barrier such as copper tape or garlic granules around the pots.

In the fruit and vegetable garden this week the jobs that should be tackled are to sow sweetcorn into deep seed trays and keep them under cover ready to plant in June. Give some feed to bushes and fruit trees. Plant out onions and grow them in pots underneath glass. Potatoes and asparagus crowns should also be planted out. Use polythene sheets or cloches to cover the soil to get it warm for sowing early crops. The other crops that should be sown this week if the conditions are suitable include beetroot, turnips, parsnips, peas, onions, mangetout, lettuce, broad beans, salad leaves, radish, spinach, mizuna, rocket, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussel sprouts.    

In the greenhouse this week you should be looking at getting young bedding plants and plug plants for growing on for pots, baskets and bedding displays. Thin out heavy out fruit sets on nectarine and peaches leaving about ten centimetres between each one.  Sow annual climbing plants such as morning glory, nasturtium and cup and saucer vine. Use a large pot to grow an early crop of dwarf French beans. Repot any houseplants and repot anything that is top heavy. Give some feed to young plants after they have been potted up in fresh compost for about three to four weeks. Take time to pot up seedlings and rooted cuttings.

The other jobs that could be tackled in the garden this week is to use a pressure washer to remove any winter grime from terraces and patios. Sow any new lawns using a grass mix that is suitable to the type of lawn that you want.  Cut plain green shoots off variegated shrubs. Cut the lawn on dry days if the grass is showing a strong growth. Dig out bindweed, couch grass, ground elder and other problem weeds. Take time to place plant supports over clumps of perennials that are tall growing such as delphiniums and lupins

What To Do In The Garden This Week

Well the weather this week has been rather damp but I am hoping that it is going to get better towards the end of the week.

The jobs that people should be aiming to do this week (4^th April – 10^th April) include turf laying, flower planting, fruit and vegetable planting.

If you have a lawn that is rather patchy and untidy then it may be a good idea to lay some turf. Laying turf can help to get instant results and it can really bring a dull area back to life. It is actually very easy to lay some turf. If take the time and do the hard work now you will be able to sit back and enjoy the garden when the nicer weather appears.

The jobs that you will need to be doing in your flower garden is to fill in the gaps in the flower bed with polyanthus and primulas. Flowering currants and forsythia will need to be pruned as soon as the flowers have faded. Leave the foliage from daffodils intact for about six weeks after they have finished flowering as this will regenerate the bulbs so that they bloom again next years. Take time to plant our groups of gladioli in borders and sow sweet peas directly outside the base of supports or obelisks.

The checklist for the fruit and vegetable garden includes sowing seeds of climbing beans and dwarf beans in deep pots or inside toilet roll tubes which have been filled with compost. Plant some new asparagus beds. Continue the work on planting shallots, potatoes and onions. Take some time to feed spring cabbage with some high nitrogen fertiliser. Remove the forcing jars that have been used on rhubarb plants and allow them to grow uncovered. This week should be a busy week with sowing seeds both under cloches and outside. The seeds that should be getting sown include carrots, broad beans, beetroot, salad onions, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, spinach, lettuce, leeks, rocket, coriander, mixed salad, stir fry leaves, turnip, radish, peas, Swiss chard lettuce and mangetout.

The tasks that need to be done within the greenhouse this week includes protecting seedling pots from the cold by using empty plastic bottles to make mini cloches. Prick out seedlings after they have grown their first proper leaves. Open the greenhouse doors and vents in order to ventilate on warm days. Sow herbs such as chives, fennel, basil, coriander and parsley into trays and pots. Plant out pots with the bulbs that will flower in the summer such as eucomis, gloriosa and Tigridia (tiger flower). Start using liquid feed to feed any houseplants.

The other jobs that people should be trying to get done in the garden this week is to spread mulch compost around the border plants in order to keep the weeds under control. If you have a garden pond thoroughly clean the filters and put fountains and pumps back in. Lay new turf and sow new lawn using seeds. Clean out any bird baths that you have in the garden and top them up with fresh water. Check that tree ties are not too tight or digging into the bark and loosen if necessary. Cut back any ivy that is overgrown. 

Time to Get Out Into the Garden

The weather over the past week has been nice and sunny, which has got me thinking probably like many others that the time is right to get out into the garden. It is at this time of year that there is a lot of work to do in the garden to sort out after the long winter months.

Although this week (28^th March – 3^rd April) is nearly over there is still time to get some work done in the garden if the weather stays fair. The jobs that you should be focusing on at the moment are to start adding homemade compost to the soil as this will encourage the garden to flourish and thrive. Making your own compost will also mean that you are able to make the most of your kitchen waste whilst being more economical. There is five easy steps that you can follow in order to make your own compost which are:

1.       Clear the area where you want to make the compost bin and level the ground if this is required. The easiest way to level the ground is to use a rake or a spade.

2.       Use a pallet and stand it long edge in order to form the back of the compost bin. Put a stake through the two layers of the pallet at either end and drive them firmly into the ground, which can be done using a sledgehammer. They should be driven into the group to a depth of 20cm – 30 cm.

3.       Use another two pallets at right angles to make the sides of the compost bin. Close the corners tightly together so prevent the compost from spoiling out.

4.       In order to keep the structure stable use wire to tie the pallets at the corners. Trim the top of the stakes with a saw.

5.       Wire the last pallet to the front of the right side of the pallet so that it can be opened to allow entry to the bin when required.

If you are growing plants in your garden then the jobs that you should be trying to get done this week is to:

·         Take cuttings from delphiniums

·         Wash off any signs of greenfly from shoot tips using soapy water

·         Feed rhododendrons. Pieris and Camellias with acidic plant food

·         Several shrubs with low growing stems can be propagated by layering such as mock orange, honeysuckle, magnolia and forsythia.

·         Plant new shrubs and perennials that are hardy.

·        Cut away old foliage

·       Sprinkle fertiliser around shrubs and flower beds.

If you are growing fruit and vegetables in the garden then the jobs that you should be looking at doing include:

·         Cover strawberry rows with cloches to encourage early fruit

·         Plant early potatoes outside in large pots or rows

·         Spray fruit bushes and trees with fungicide in order to prevent any mildew disease attacking them.

·         Pick of any yellowing and fading leaves from Brussels fruit in order to prevent disease spreading.

·         Sow seeds outside or underneath cloches for carrots, broad beans, beetroot, cauliflowers, salad onions, cabbage, spinach, Brussels sprouts, leeks, lettuce, coriander, rocket and mixed salad.

Greenhouse gardeners this week should be focusing on:

·         Planting up bulbs, tubers and corms

·         Sow coleus and other houseplants

·         Watching out for pests

Other jobs that should be getting done around the garden this week are:

·         Move plants from the greenhouse into the cold frame in order to get them used to the climate.

·         Do the digging for any new ponds or water features that you want to create in the garden.

·         Clean and sharpen any garden knives

·         Purchase summer flowering bulbs so that you have a good range of colour.

This is also a very good time of year for seeing wildlife in your garden and this week would be a good time to make sure that the bird feeders are topped up. The nesting season is now getting underway and there will be an increase in the amount of birds that you may see in the garden. Try not to cut any bushes and hedges back until after nesting season to avoid disturbing any nests.