| The Plight of the Bumblebee | |
|  | | Bumblebees need our help |
| | Bumblebees used to be a familiar sight and sound in our gardens and countryside - so it's hard to believe that some species have become extinct. There's now a call to gardeners and landowners to help save the humble bumblebee. |
| | | Gardeners and landowners are being urged to plant more flowers, amid concern that the once common bumblebee could be under threat.
Bumblebees were once a familiar sight in the countryside, and in gardens and parks.
But in the past three decades, numbers have declined because of changes in the environment - and because gardeners aren't planting the right type of flowers.
Some species of bumblebee are now extinct in England, and others are in danger.
 | | Bumblebees love foxgloves |
In response to the plight of the bumblebee, English Nature and the National Trust have joined together to launch a campaign aimed at gardeners and landowners.
The conservation groups want us all to create wildlife-friendly gardens - havens where bees can thrive.
The advice is to cultivate a little bit of untidiness in a sunny corner.
There are certain flowers bumblebees particularly like - buddleia (butterflies like these as well), cornflower, lavender, heather, honeysuckle, rosemary, and foxglove.
The more flowers you grow, the more nectar and pollen there is for the bees.
In the countryside, bumblebees like hedgerows and red clover fields.
Bumblebees will nest in nature-friendly places - but they will nest there for only a year. Don't disturb the nest - and there's no need to worry about being stung, according to the experts.
Bumblebees aren't like honey bees - they are gentle and slow! And they are an essential element to a healthy environment.
Sir Martin Doughty, chairman of English Nature, said: "The bumblebee is right at the heart of a healthy garden.
"These insects carry pollen from plant to plant and without them we would not have as many beautiful flowers."
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