Through the Species on the Edge programme, we are working to secure a future for 37 rare and vulnerable coastal species. Three of these species are bees: the great yellow bumblebee; an island subspecies of the moss carder bumblebee (ssp. agricolae); and the northern colletes mining bee.
The aim of our ‘Bees on the Edge’ project is to support existing populations of these species to become more resilient into the future through surveying and monitoring, practical conservation measures and raising awareness of the species’ needs. Project Manager for the project, Katy Malone from Bumblebee Conservation Trust, reflects on how 2024 has been for our target bees and how the project is going.
By Katy Malone, Bees on the Edge Project Manager, Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Surveying and monitoring
2024 was a particularly difficult year for our bees. After a decent start to the weather in early spring, it turned unseasonably cool and windy. Bees are not particularly aerodynamic creatures and in windy weather they have to stay tucked down in the vegetation to forage on flowers closer to the ground and aren’t able to fly around as much. This not only set back the bees, but also made it very difficult for our project staff and volunteers to do surveys, as it’s harder to see and hear bees even if you’re walking right past them.
Usually, we would expect our bumblebee colonies to be winding down in August, while the new queens emerging from the nests that year will forage to put on fat resources, then go into hibernation. This year, the weather has shifted the timeline significantly, and queens of many different species could still be seen in October. Bees are fairly adaptable though, and, in decent years, populations can bounce back well. However, this is the fourth poor spring in a row, and these spring-emerging insects could really be getting ground down. We will continue to monitor numbers as best we can. If you live in Shetland, Orkney, the far north coast or the Hebrides and could spare one hour a month over the summer to help with this monitoring effort, we’d love to hear from you (full training and support will be given).
One key project target is to train and support more volunteer surveyors as they get to grips with species identification and recording. This year alone, eight training and support events have been delivered, including a bespoke online event, delivered by BBCT Science Manager Dr Richard Comont. The event was designed specifically to help project staff and volunteers identify the bees found in their project areas. This was really important due to some unique bee-related characteristics of our areas that can make ID-ing bees using traditional bee guides tricky and misleading: many of the species found in project areas have different colour variations; species that are rare in the UK can be common on the islands; and those that are common elsewhere are not found.
Habitat creation and management
Our project staff have been hard at work on the ground to try and create more bumblebee-friendly land, mitigating future weather impacts to come. We all need to help bee populations become more resilient to the pressures that are still to come through climate change. In Caithness, staff and volunteers created a flower-rich butterfly and bee bank at Dunnet Forest, helping two rare species – the small blue butterfly and great yellow bumblebee. An amazing 26 volunteers have been involved in growing kidney vetch on the banks, a vital early nectar source for great yellows, and the main larval food plant for small blue (a great partner collaboration and cross-over in species work).
Awareness raising and public engagement
This year we created a bespoke bumblebee identification leaflet for Orkney and Shetland, detailing the colour variations and different species which can be found in those far flung northern isles. Our project teams in Orkney and Shetland report that this is going to be a great resource for engaging with the public as well as landowners who might be able to help create more habitat on their ground.
In addition to the eight core Species on the Edge partners, our project officers around the country are creating strong relationships and collaborations with a range of local groups and organisations. In Orkney, People Engagement Officer Sam has been hosting monthly walks at the neolithic Ring of Brodgar in collaboration with Historic Environment Scotland. During these walks, participants get to enjoy a mindful wander of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, while getting to learn more about the history of the stones as well as the flora and fauna that live alongside them. In the Outer Hebrides, People Engagement Officer Mairi has been working with groups and individuals across the length of the archipelago to put on the Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival. This annual festival hosts an amazing variety of community-run events and exhibitions, all celebrating the incredible nature of the Outer Hebrides.
Our project officers have also been getting creative with their bee-themed events this year! On the North Coast our project officers held a solstice event which saw participants creating some fantastic bee-inspired lanterns. In Shetland, People Engagement Officer Gareth has overseen the creation of some excellently life-like bumblebee models at some of his events. And in the Outer Hebrides and on the North Coast, our teams have invented a great new game which sees children pretending to be bumblebees, collecting nectar in exchange for points.
It is hoped that all these activities will help raise awareness of Scotland’s rarest bees and the threats they face, will encourage those we engage with to appreciate and connect with these species in new and impactful ways, and empower people to take responsibility and action for the future of these precious bees.
How you can help
You can help your local bees by helping us learn more about how they are faring. To do this you can take part in or set up your own BeeWalk. BeeWalk is a national recording scheme run by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to monitor the abundance of bumblebees on transects across the country. Learn more about BeeWalks and how you can get involved on the BeeWalk website: www.beewalk.org.uk.
You can learn more about what else you can do to help your local bees on the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website.
You can also learn more about how you can get involved with Species on the Edge’s work for bumblebees by getting in touch. Email katy.malone@bumblebeeconservation.org
