Here at the Bee Friendly Trust, we’re passionate about honey bees. It’s perhaps not surprising, given the fact that many of the team are beekeepers (find out more about the Bee Friendly Trust team, here).
Did you know…?
· A worker bee can travel at around 20 mph, unladen (with pollen, nectar, propolis and water)
· Bees collect about 20kg of pollen every year; it provides them with a rich source of protein and fat, keeping the colony strong enough to make honey
· The strength and health of honey bee colonies has declined due to parasites, diseases and loss of habitat – and, since Britain lost a third of its bee colonies in the winter of 2009/10, remains challenged
· About one third of our food wouldn’t exist without honeybees
So, aside from honey bees being pretty cool, without them, the world would be a very different – and less colourful and less tastier – place.
But honey bees don’t do all this hard work alone. Britain has, in total, around 270 different species of bee, plus flies, butterflies, moths and bats, which all pollinate, too.
And this got us thinking: what if we could create habitats that would help our honey bee heroes, whilst also supporting other pollinators?
We’re changing the environment
“The Bee Friendly Trust aims to create a world where honey bees and other pollinators have the habitats they need in order to thrive.”
Using pre-existing networks such as road links and railway lines, we work with community groups and station staff to establish interconnected flowering habitats across urban centres and beyond. Think of it as a nationwide pollinator corridor of planters filled with bee-friendly flowers, micro wildlife gardens, orchards and more. Read more about our projects.
We’re celebrating collaboration
As bees aren’t solely responsible for pollination, we don’t create all our bee-friendly habitats alone. To date, the Bee Friendly Trust has worked alongside Transport for London, local Community Rail Partnerships, Friends of Stoneham Park, and Thames Ditton in Bloom to brighten up railway station platforms, create wildlife gardens, and introduce the next generation to bees in urban parks. We also have an invaluable team of volunteers, who help keep these habitats blooming and buzzing. Find out about the many ways in which you can get involved and support our work.
We’re inspiring the next generation
The Bee Friendly Trust is serious about creating habitats that will last. Which means empowering individuals and communities and inspiring the next generation to nurture and sustain our projects for the future. We deliver fun educational workshops from our exciting mobile learning space, give informative talks suitable for all ages, and offer creative resources to schools to raise awareness about the importance of the honey bee.
Keen to find out more?
We’re a friendly bunch. Meet us, contact us, or, if you’re a member of the media, visit our press section, today.
Twitter: @bee_trust
Instagram: @beefriendlytrust
Facebook: beefriendlytrust