Red clover seed picking
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....





