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Over the last 50 years, there has been a staggering decline in our bee population.
Habitat loss, intensive agriculture and the widespread use of harmful pesticides have all contributed to this crash in numbers.
With 97% of Britain’s wildflower-rich meadows having disappeared since the Second World War, our bees and other pollinators are in a desperate situation and need our help more than ever before.
Many bee species are solitary and make their nests in small holes and the hollows of plants and trees. Building a bee hotel is easy, fun and a brilliant way to provide bees and other insects with a safe place to rest and lay their eggs.
Planting flowers and trees that produce blossom at different times of the year will mean that bees have a source of food throughout the seasons. Many garden centres will label ‘bee-friendly’ plants, but for a list of good species, click the link below.
Bees and other pollinators can get thirsty! A wildlife pond is perfect and provides far more to wildlife than just a place to quench thirst, but if that’s not possible, a small dish of water with a few pebbles in it (for ease of access) will give bees and other insects a chance to drink.
What we might think of as weeds may be fantastic food plants for bees. For example dandelions and foxgloves are an excellent source of pollen and nectar. Leaving a corner of your garden to grow wild is an easy way to help our precious pollinators!
Neonicotinoids now banned from commercial use in the EU are still present in some insecticides sold by garden centres. Trying to encourage natural pest control such as ladybirds is far better than using any pesticide, but if you still require one be sure to check the ingredients before buying.
Becoming a member of the Trust means that you’ll be helping to support the work we do to conserve bees and other pollinators in Scotland. You’ll also gain free entry to our visitor centres, be sent our wildlife magazine and receive invitations and discounts to events across the country.
As well as being widely loved, bees play a vital role in the natural world as pollinators. In addition to pollinating wildflowers and trees, bees and other insects help to pollinate our crops, and of course they do this free of charge!
It has been estimated that this pollination service could add £600 million of value to the UK’s crops every year, and that a third of the food we eat relies on bees for pollination. Without them, the cost of our food would undoubtedly rise, so bees are important to every single one of us.
At the Scottish Wildlife Trust, we love bees and are working hard to save them.
As well as managing our network of 120 wildlife reserves in a way that allows wildlife of all kinds to thrive, we are actively involved with several projects to help give a boost to bees and other pollinators:
