Buzzin' Bees
There’s a buzz in the air, but what could it bee?
We have bees, and other pollinators, to thank for every third mouthful we eat. As honey bees gather pollen and nectar for their survival, they pollinate crops such as apples, melons and broccoli. Some crops, including blueberries and cherries, are 90% dependent on honey bee pollination. Not only do they pollinate our food crops, but they’re also vital for the survival of other wild plants that support so much of our wildlife.
Discover
Find out some facts about why bees are brilliant by clicking here and reading our fun info sheet.
Did you know that there are more than 250 types of bee in the UK?!
There is only one species of honey bee, then the rest are bumblebees, mason bees and mining bees. Click on the image below to find out more about the types of bees that we can often find in the North East.
Explore
Play ‘Bumblebee Bingo!’ in your garden or nearby green space. The aim of the game is to find all six species of bumblebees pictured on your card. The first person or team to find all six species shouts “Bumblebee bingo” and is the winner! Click on the image below to download the cards and instructions.
Do
🐝 Have a go at this fun Bumblebee word search
🐝 Or if you have a garden, build a bumblebee nest
Despite being so important to the production of our food and wildlife, bees are under threat. Three bumblebee species have become extinct in recent years, almost one in ten species of wild bee face extinction, and over the past 50 years, half the bee, butterfly and moth species studied in the 2013 State of Nature Report have declined.
This loss is due to changes in the way we farm causing habitat loss. Increased urbanisation, climate change and disease are also having a negative effect on bee populations.
Click here to find more ways to help bees with our action pack!
Or visit this website for lots of ideas and things you can do to help bees in your garden: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-attract-bumblebees-your-garden