Blog - bumblebee

Woodland web updates (5)

Woodland web updates (5)

by The blog at woodlands.co.uk, 9 July, 2021, 0 comments

Humidity and bumblebees Recent research at the University of Bristol has shown that bumblebees are sensitive to the humidity of the air that surrounds flowers. Being able to detect this sensory information affects the bees’ behaviour. Just as bees learn to recognise patterns, colour and the scent of particular flowers so they can distinguish humidity patterns. How effective these humidity patterns are will depend on the immediate micro-environment of a flower - which may be affected by climate change. Full details of this work can be accessed here : Willows and waste water Read more...

Floral visitors

Floral visitors

by Chris, 23 October, 2013, 4 comments

Bees are (usually) frequent visitors to our gardens. Gardening catalogues and websites are ‘always’ extolling the virtues of particular flowers / plants in terms of attracting insect visitors to our gardens. These insect visitors are important pollinators – not just for garden flowers, but also for fruit trees and other soft fruits. But is there any evidence about the ‘best flowers’ to plant for insect visitors – other than “opinion and general experience”. Now some research on this has been done by the Department of Apiculture at the University of Sussex. The Department and Professor Ratnieks (which have featured in the woodland blog before) are involved in “The Sussex Plan for Honey Bee Health and Well being”. Read more...

Wild Flower Guide

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Read our guide to wild flowers of woodland and hedgerow

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