The home of Britain's Working Conservationists
This week is Solitary Bee Week which aims to raise awareness of solitary bees and their vital importance to pollination. 90% of all bee species are solitary, and many of them are much better pollinators than their better-known bumble and honeybee cousins.
Solitary bees are often overlooked in the world of bees, with bumblebees and honeybees being much more familiar to most people. In fact, 90% of the UK’s bee species are actually solitary bees, with around 250 solitary bee species, only 24 bumblebee species, and just one honeybee species.
The BEESPOKE project aims to reverse the decline of pollinators and increase crop pollination on farms in the North Sea Region. Currently the project partners are working to develop bespoke seed mixes and habitat management guidelines to support pollinators on a wide range of crop types.