New Zealand is fast approaching

Dear all
 
Well the next New Zealand trip is now fast approaching with under two months to go before I fly off to collect the emerging subt queens (here's two pictures of subt queens feeding on echium, taken by Andy Tebbs). The season over here is fastly coming to an end so now my attention has turned to preparing and perfecting the rearing protocol for subt. Last year we worked very hard to obtain as many queens as possible but were disappointed with the final numbers. Since then we have tightened our protocol and have hoped to make the changes which will produce many more queens. We all cause have everything crossed for our first reintroduction next June 2011. You can keep up to date with all my progress in NZ on this blog.......
 
So it is coming to the end of the season now in the UK, but having said that the sun is still shining and there are B. terrestris still feeding on buddleia outside my window! Its been a great season for the bees down here in Kent and East Sussex with five of the UK BAP species moving and spreading out. I have high hopes for next year.
 
Till next time.....

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....