Red clover seed picking

Dear all
 
Last Friday myself and a group of volunteers went out to Dungeness to collect the seed heads of wild red clover. The seeds of red clover are ready when the head turns brown and is easy to pick off between the fingers. Many thanks to the volunteers who came along despite the wet and windy weather conditions. We managed to collect a few bags full, which were then taken to the RSPBs Dungeness sheds to dry out and next week will be passed onto local small holders, the environment agency and local land owners to sow ready for next year. This was the first of what I hope to be an annual red clover seed pick to help the spread of this native wild flower across the release site.
 
I also did a radio interview today at BBC Northampton with a gentleman called William Miller who is the great, great nephew of Thomas Nottidge who originally organised taking four bumblebee species to New Zealand, of course one of these was subt! Here is the link to the radio interview. William's interview begins at 1:10 and mine at 1:37.
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p009lrll/John_Griff_01_09_2010/
 
Sadly now its coming to the end of the bumblebee season, so now my attention shifts to the up and coming New Zealand trip. We are now carefully and precisely writing the rearing protocol to give the subt queens the best chance possible.
 
More news to come soon....

Exciting news- rare bumblebees are spreading!!

Dear all
 
We have had some wonderful news to share! This summer our transects have shown that many of the rare bumblebee species around Kent have been spreading. A couple of weeks ago I found the very rare Bombus ruderatus in Woodchurch, where it has not been seen since 1984. Brian Banks from Swift Ecology then found a male B. ruderatus at Dungeness. In the north of Kent we have also noted that Bombus slyvarum has increased its dispersal, and then again it popped up again at Dungeness this summer! We have also found that the moss carder, B. muscorum, and brown banded carder, B. humilis, bees have spread out from Dungeness and Romney marsh and are heading up along the coast and through the marshes to new grounds. This really is wonderful news for our bees and we are very pleased with these results. The two pictures attached are of the all black form of B. ruderatus and the brown banded carder bee B. humilis (which was brilliantly taken by Alan Parker at Dungeness on Sunday).
 
We believe these bees have started to spread due to the use of agri- environment schemes by farmers and land owners. The agri-enevironment schemes offer land owners grants to create habitat for our wildlife. For example around arable fields, wild flowers can be planted in a border to attract nectar loving insects and pastoral farmers can leave some fields ungrazed for between 4-8 weeks to allow the wild flowers to grow. These habitats create a corridor and a mosaic across our countryside allowing the bumblebees to disperse into new areas. Its a great success story for our bumblebees...
 
Till next time..........
 
 

Bumblebee co-op day

Dear all
 
As some of you may know the co-op has been using honey bees as part of their campaign. The regional office contacted me about potentially doing something with the plight of bumblebees! Which of course I excepted. I did an afternoon walk and talk with the group. We had about 35 people come along, which was a good turnout. We managed to see lots of B. muscorum workers (moss carder bee) which was fantastic. RSPB have been creating lots of bumblebee habitat there and its great to see the bumblebee in large numbers there. Here's some pics of the days events.
 
If you are free this weekend RSPB are holding their countryside fair, there are lots of wildlife stalls and arts and crafts. Its free to come along and of course walk round the reserve after. There will be two bumblebee walks and talks per day, one at 11:30am and the other at 2:30pm.
 
Till next time...

Carder bees

Here's two pictures of firstly a B. muscorum worker and secondary a B. humilis in a queen catcher to chech for black hairs!

Red clover

Simon Wright with his red clover margins he left over from his hay cut to provide long term foraging for bumblebees.

Farm visits

Hello everyone
 
Well its been an odd year for the bumblebees with overall numbers down on all our transects. We think the harsh winter, followed by a slow spring and then the drought didn't help the bees with finding enough nectar and pollen. However we have had some very good news from the marsh and surrounding areas. I held a bumblebee farm day event a few weeks back and have since been round to visit some of the farmers. Here's some pictures of some of the farms I have visited. Firstly the red clover fields at the Deans and Simon Wrights red clover margin (which he left from after hay making). Most hay making on the marsh has now taken place but there are still places on the marsh which offer late foraging for the later emerging species. The wind farm is ones of these. Newly seeded this year, it has had an amazing number of the moss carder bee, Bombus muscorum , foraging on the red clover. In fact this year the number of B. humilis and B. muscorum found in new locations has risen. This is great news for these fantastic and rare bees. This highlights the areas of Romney marsh across East Sussex and Kent as really important habitats for these bee species. 
 
Till next time

Bumblebee event sign

Many thanks to Louise Barton and her family for hosting this years bumblebee garden event

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