"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man" (Albert Einstein).
The single quote above captures the key role that bees play in the survival of planet earth. Unfortunately, the last 60 years has seen the loss of much of their natural habitat, including over 90% of the wildflower meadows in the UK. Intensive farming (mono-cultures), pesticides, climate change and pests such as the Varroa might have contributed to a marked decline in bee numbers in our rural landscapes.
In contrast to the countryside our towns, parks and suburban back gardens are stocked with a rich diversity of plants and flowers from around the world and as such could serve as an oasis for our winged friends.
To determine if this is the case we are seeking people’s help in observing the bee-friendly plants in towns, cities and villages across the United Kingdom.
The next time you are in the garden or walking the dog keep a lookout for bees and if you see any take a picture on your mobile phone of the plants they are buzzing around and send them to us via this App. The app runs on the SPOTTERON Citizen Science platform.