Call for the public to spot bumblebees on flowers, February 12-May 31
The RHS’s latest campaign, Bumbles on Blooms, aims to identify these vital pollinators’ favourite plants in spring, working alongside the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. All you have to do is record and photograph bumblebee sightings on flowers in gardens and parks in the UK.
Bumblebees help to pollinate garden plants and crops such as apples, tomatoes, and peas. Queen bumblebees emerge from hibernation seeking nectar-rich flowers when the weather warms up. Protein-rich pollen feeds the developing larvae of the worker bees. The challenges of habitat loss and climate change mean that the availability of flowers in springtime is critically important for helping bumblebees establish successful colonies.
Data gathered will help boost bumblebee populations by ensuring that gardeners receive the best advice for what to plant and improve understanding of their habits. RHS wildlife specialists will monitor the results to determine how flower colour and urban or rural sites influence bumblebees’ plant choice. Read more about plants for pollinators.
Take part in Bumbles on Blooms
Take part by:
- Photograph bumblebees on flowers.
- Check the identity of your bumblebees (submit as ‘bumblebee’ if unsure).
- Submit your record to the ‘Bumbles on Blooms’ project on iNaturalistUK (app or online).
Helen Bostock, RHS senior wildlife specialist said: “Bumblebees are a vital part of our ecosystem. They pollinate our crops and flowers, and play a key role in much of the food we eat. In the face of large-scale changes to the countryside and the ensuing decline in their numbers, flowers in gardens and parks are an increasingly important source of pollen and nectar for bumblebees. This project is an opportunity to give back. The better we understand which plants these industrious insects most rely on, the more we can help them to thrive.”
For more information on the project, visit www.rhs.org.uk.
