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Mini-meadows of wild flowers
The decline in insects numbers, especially pollinators is a cause for concern. Insect numbers have fallen as natural ecosystems have been lost or disrupted by the expansion of farming and...
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Bumblebee stress.
If bumblebees are exposed to heat stress during their development (they go through four stages : egg / larva / pupa / adult or imago) their bodies develop asymmetries. The wings in particular are...
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Problems for bees and bumblebees.
The decline in many insect populations across the globe is worrying, threatening economies and ecosystems. A German study in 2017 indicated that the mass of flying insects (in various natural areas)...
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Woodlands web updates 21
Ancient Trees A recent report has emphasised the importance of protecting and preserving ancient trees. Ancient (veteran) oaks can live in excess of a thousand years, as can Yews. The Bristlecones of...
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woodlands web updates : 25
Earlier flowering times. A survey has shown that plants are flowering earlier in the year. Cambridge University researchers compared the dates of flowering of some four hundred plus species before and...
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Professor Goulson on allotments, gardens and bees.
I recently attended the National Allotment Society AGM, where the keynote speaker was Professor David Goulson. His main academic studies focus on the threats to bees, bumblebees and other insects. He...
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Flowering plants and pollinators
Plants have existed for hundreds of millions of year - as algae, mosses, liverworts, ferns but flowering plants only appeared about 140 million years ago. The exact timing of their appearance is a...
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Bumblebee pollen collecting
Bumblebees (and bees) collect nectar and pollen. Pollen is a vital food, used in the various stages of a bumblebee’s life. In Spring, newly emerged queens feed on pollen, then it is used to feed its...
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The importance of woodlands to bees.
The diet of bees has changed over the years. In the past, bees were able to forage and collect pollen and nectar from a variety of plants. With the spread of highly mechanised agriculture,...
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Wild flower pollen and bees
The period since WW2 has seen urban areas and, indeed farms, expand across the UK. The number of places where wildlife can thrive has been eroded. Gardens and lawns have been changed to provide...
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