Apologies for posting what might be construed as an advert, however
I hope that this information will be of relevance to many readers of
this group:

It may interest some of you that we have today launched the
Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

Anyone interested in finding out more, or in joining should visit
the trust website at www.bumblebeeconservationtrust.co.uk.

Feel free to forward this email to family and friends who you think
might be interested.

More information:

It may surprise some people to know that in Britain & Ireland we
have twenty five different kinds of Bumblebee. However, this may
not be the case for much longer. So far three of our native species
have become extinct, fifteen have undergone major range contractions
and several more face extinction in the near future unless action is
taken. Currently five bumblebee species are designated UK
Biological Action Plan (UKBAP) species, in recognition of their
decline, with three more species scheduled for inclusion.

Bumblebees are fascinating and beautiful insects that deserve
conserving in their own right. However, there are far more pressing
ecological and economic reasons to halt their declines. Bumblebees
are major pollinators of a majority of our flora. If bumblebees
continue to disappear our native plants will set less seed,
potentially resulting in gradual but sweeping changes to the
countryside. Clovers, vetches, and many rare plants may disappear.
Indeed, there is evidence that this process is already underway.
These changes will have catastrophic knock-on effects for other
wildlife dependent on these plants, such as birds, and small
mammals. As such, it is often argued that bumblebees are keystone
species, and that they are a conservation priority.

Bumblebees are also of commercial importance, being vital to the
agricultural industry. Many arable and horticultural crops depend on
bumblebees for pollination to varying degrees. Broad, field and
runner beans and raspberries are heavily dependent on bumblebees;
without them there would be little or no crop to harvest. There is
already evidence that in some regions where fields are large and
there are few hedgerows (in which bumblebee queens forage in spring
and build their nests), crop yields are depressed due to a shortage
of bumblebees.

It is therefore essential that we take measures to conserve our
remaining bumblebee populations, and if possible restore them to
something like their past abundance. This cannot be achieved with
existing nature reserves. Bumblebee nests are large, containing up
to 400 sterile workers, each of which travels more than 1 km from
the colony in search of suitable flowers. Each nest needs many
hectares of suitable flower-rich habitat, meaning that to support a
healthy population that is viable in the long term, large areas of
land must be managed sympathetically. UK nature reserves are simply
too small. The only way to provide sufficient areas of habitat for
bumblebees is if the wider, farmed countryside, and the vast areas
covered by suburban gardens, are managed in a suitable way. To do
this we need to educate people, and encourage activities such as the
planting of wildflowers and traditional cottage-garden flowers in
gardens; the replanting of hedgerows; and the recreation of hay
meadow and chalk grassland habitats.

Now is a good time to get involved in Bumblebee conservation as a
new group has just been formed - the Bumblebee Conservation Trust
(BBCT), an organisation devoted to preventing further declines in
our bumblebees. The BBCT is open to all, has a regular newsletter,
and organises various activities such as bumblebee walks and
identification workshops. A major aim of the Trust is to promote
wildlife gardening, particularly the growing of wildflowers to
provide nectar and pollen for bees and other wildlife. Anyone
interested in joining should visit the trust website at
http://www.bumblebeeconservationtrust.co.uk.

Best wishes,

Ben Darvill
BBCT