Buglife have launched a campaign encouraging people of all ages to get outside this summer and record pollinating species of bees, hoverflies and beetles.
There are over 4,000 species of pollinating insect in the UK that provide us with a valuable free service that is often taken for granted. With the loss of over 97% of our wildflower meadows since World War Two, many of our pollinators have experienced significant population declines. Currently in Britain, over 250 species of pollinators are threatened with extinction including bumblebees, hoverflies and beetles.
Through the John Muir Pollinator Way project funded by Scottish Natural Heritage, Buglife are encouraging everyone to get outside this summer into their garden, local park and wildlife areas and look for pollinating insects and the flowers they are observed foraging from.
To get started, download the pollinator spotting sheet and recording form available free on the Buglife website. Remember to submit your records and let us know where you have been and what you have seen. You can download the webpage of the John Muir Pollinator Way Survey directly onto your mobile as an app for free, so you can upload your records while you are completing your survey outside. To do this, go to the pollinator survey webpage and then click ‘add to home screen’ in your phone’s menu- simple!
Suzanne Burgess, Conservation Officer with Buglife says ‘Recording our pollinating bees, hoverflies and beetles will not only improve the recording of species but ultimately help monitor the long-term population trend of several species. Not only that but it’s fun to get outside and look for bees and hoverflies and the flowers they feed from!’
