The shocking truth about pollinators we should all be aware of:
1. Almost 90% of the world’s wild plants depend on pollinators, along with 75% of leading global crops
2. One in three mouthfuls of food we eat only exists because of pollinators. Bees pollinate crops from tomatoes to strawberries
3. Experts predict 40-70% of pollinators could go extinct if action is not taken to enable them to move through the landscape
4. According to the IUCN Red List, the climate crisis threatens as many as 24% of Europe’s bumblebee species
5. A new report by WWF and BugLife found that the east of England has lost 17 species of bees: wwf.org.uk/bees.
Reference: WWF Summer 2019 magazine – The Shocking Truth about Pollinators
What can we do to help?
For instance, you can think about your garden or balcony space. Especially in spring time there are plenty of flowers and plants that can help pollinators. Jon has some lavender on his balcony and has found that bees really love spending time foraging among the flowers. They also smell good and have a calming effect on people. It is ideal for the summer.
In spring, the pussy willow tree helps feed queen bumblebees as they establish new colonies in early spring. For autumn, the Abelia ‘bee bush’ has headily scented delicate white flowers which attract blumblebees and honeybees. In addition, the Mahonia has nectar-rich bright yellow flowers. It is a hardy evergreen scrub which helps support overwintering bumblebees and honeybees. [Reference: Friends of the Earth website – Trees and shrubs for bees]
Above all, you should look to improve your green space for pollinators but also for you health and wellbeing.
