Nature notes: allotments and gardens could help arrest decline of bees

Nature notes is brought to you today from my sick bed, well sofa, as I've been pole-axed by a cold that has put paid to me roaming much further than to the bins and back.

I've been keeping up with my reading and this week noticed this article on how allotments and gardens could be potential sanctuaries for bees. In good news for my lax gardening skills, it also transpires that those pesky "weeds" are in fact pollen rich flowers for bees, including buttercups, dandelions and brambles. Lavender, borage and, my favourite, common marigolds were the best choices out of "proper flowers." (obviously I make no such distinctions IRL). 

The article concludes with a quote from Professor Dave Goulson, who writes beautifully about bumblebees in his books, “Perhaps we could come to see our cities as giant nature reserves, places where man and nature can live side by side.” which I think sums up my philosophy nicely.

Read the full story here.

Also today, I noticed the first ominous reports of bad weather on its way from the Met Office. This could spell bad news for any Queens that might have woken up due to the mild weather and the lure of mahonia. There's good advice from the Bumblebee Trust on what to do if you find a bumble in trouble this winter (basically don't bring it indoors) which you can find here