Wintry buzz of bumblebees
November 9th, 2009 | by lucy |

Instead of hibernating, bumblebees are showing increasing activity during British winters. Sightings are most frequent in the south-east and the west of England, but are also being recorded in East Anglia, Wales, the Midlands and as far north as Hull. Climate change undoubtedly has a role to play, but the trend is also being attributed to the British passion for gardening and the availablility of flowers all year round for foraging bees. The non-native shrub Mahonia is mentioned as being particularly popular with both gardeners and insects. The phenomenon, restricted to British urban and suburban areas, is shedding light on how certain species of bees might be adapting to climate change. More info in the Independent
Some possibly unrelated posts
The RSPB is gathering extensive information about exactly where swifts are nesting in the UK. It is suspected that their rapid decline in recent years is linked with a drop in suitable nesting sites, as buildings are modernised.
The first year’s survey reveals that of the houses where swifts are nesting:
The Co-op is further expanding its
There are now some excellent landscape blogs covering Britain. Here are a few:
With more and more people wanting to grow their own fruit and vegetables, the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners have over 100,000 people on their waiting lists. The National Trust have responded to this demand by allocating land for “super allotments” or community farms. In return for a monthly fee, members will decide what should be grown, and have the opportunity to work on the farms, receiving a share of the produce. 











