Biodiversity - Ballincollig Tidy Towns

These educational videos have been produced In association with The Community Foundation of Ireland, SECAD, WildWork and Ballincollig Tidy Towns as part of our Biodiversity Action Plan.

SWEET TALKING

Beekeeper Shane Lehane created quite a buzz with his lecture entitled ‘Bees Are More Than Honey’. This took place in the Regional Park Ballincollig as part of Heritage Week 2021. His talk on bees was both informative and interesting and was enjoyed by a great number of people who attended.

If you missed out on this or if you would like to hear it again, press the following link https://vimeo.com/591256293

The link is also posted on our Website’s Biodiversity Page.

For the best experience, get the Vimeo app:
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NEWSLETTER: JULY 2022

1. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the Wool Carder Bee

This solitary bee is very distinctive and can be spotted in gardens, especially in the South-East. If you think you’ve spotted it, you can submit your sighting to us here: https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/solitary-bees If possible, please attach a photograph for validation.

2. To do this month: Make sure any annual bedding includes some pollinator-friendly options

At this time of year, the shops are full of traditional annual bedding (Begonia, Petunia, Geranium). Just bear in mind, that while these plants are very colourful, they are not good sources of pollen and nectar for bees and other insects. The good news is that there are a few options that you can mix in that are excellent sources of food for pollinators. Both these are widely available.

3. Enjoy our native meadows!

Natural meadows are now are their peak. Make sure to enjoy this incredible resource! Don’t Sow, Let it Grow

4. New guideline document: Protecting rare pollinators – Northern Colletes

During solitary bee week, we released the second in our rare species guideline series. This one is on protecting a rare coastal solitary bee called Northern Colletes (Colletes floralis). The guideline document identifies actions to protect the bee and is accompanied by signage templates and an information poster that can be downloaded. We collaborated on this guide with the National Trust who provided funding for its design through the Environment Fund from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). We also thank the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Buglife and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency who all contributed to, and endorsed, the document.

5. Sports clubs can become pollinator friendly!

Read this excellent blog from Mullingar Shamrocks GAA Club on how they have made positive changes for the betterment of our flora, fauna, pollinators at large and biodiversity in general. Read about the incredible range of actions they have taken within the club grounds. We hope that other clubs will be inspired to follow their lead. Can you share with your local club?

6. Faith communities becoming pollinator friendly

Read this excellent blog from Whitechurch Parish in Rathfarnham. They have been transforming the church grounds and graveyard into a bee-friendly area. We hope that others will be inspired by the great work they have done.

Faith community guidelines: https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Faith-Communities_actions-to-help-pollinators-2018-WEB.pdf

7. New record set in the bumblebee monitoring scheme!

Thanks to these reduced mown areas in Skerries, a new record has been set in the bumblebee monitoring scheme. In this scheme, volunteers walk a fixed 1-2km route once a month and record how many bumblebees they see. On the July walk in Skerries over 600 individual bumblebees were recorded! This is the highest ever total for one month in the scheme. The volunteers (Charlie and Marion Heasman) put it perfectly: ‘The reason they were there was because the estate hasn’t been mowed for a week or two; as good an argument for reduced mowing as ever could be made!’

Details on the Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme: https://biodiversityireland.ie/surveys/bumblebee-monitoring-scheme/

If you don’t have time to take part in this scheme, but would like to help, it is very useful if you can carry out a 10-minute flower-insect timed count (FIT Count): https://biodiversityireland.ie/surveys/fit-counts/

8. Help us track expansion of the Tree Bumblebee

This bee arrived in Ireland in 2017 when it was first spotted in Dublin City. Soon after it was also recorded in Belfast. The bee has been migrating northwards in Britain and likely arrived here via two migration routes. Wales into Southern Ireland and Scotland into Northern Ireland. In the North it has been expanding, but it in the South sightings have remained rare and restricted to Dublin City. However, in good news it was recently spotted at Castletown House (OPW property) in Kildare where they have fantastic native grassland meadows. This is a very distinctive bumblebee – it has an all-ginger thorax and a white tail. If you see it, please take a photo, and submit the record to us so that we can track its movement across the island. Photo below is from Maja Ilic (taken in Belfast).

9. School ‘pitches for pollinators’

We’ve had a very positive response to this campaign. During term time, pitches and grassy areas will be regularly mown giving kids important areas to play. However, during the summer holidays we are asking that schools consider leaving them for our pollinators. The summer pitch might look like long grass to humans, but chances are that amongst the grass there will be lots of little flowers that will be lifesavers to our insects. Having pitches for pollinators in schools across Ireland would create lots of pockets of excellent summer habitat for biodiversity.

If you have any contacts in schools, we’d be grateful if you can encourage them to leave ‘pitches for pollinators’

NEWSLETTER: JUNE 2022

1. To spot this month: 10 solitary bees that you might see in your garden

This month, rather than pick one pollinator to spot, it’s a solitary bee garden bucket list! Some of these are recent arrivals, so no one will be lucky enough to have all ten yet. Keep an eye out and see if you have any in your garden. Don’t forget to submit your sightings: https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/start-recording

Link to the pdf: https://pollinators.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Solitary-bee-garden-bucket-list.pdf

2. To do this month: Make sure your garden doesn’t have any hunger gaps

Try to make sure that your garden has something flowering from March to October for pollinators to feed on. In mine, it’s currently the Clover and Bird’s-foot-trefoil in the lawn as well as various trees and shrubs (Laburnum, Lavender, Wallflower, Catmint). The bumblebees and solitary bees are earning their keep at the minute as they’re also very busy pollinating my fruit trees/bushes, strawberries, tomatoes and courgettes!

Pollinator-friendly garden plants: https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/AIPP-Garden-Plants_A5-Flyer-PRINT.pdf

Pollinator-friendly herbs: https://www.pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/AIPP-Herbs-A5-Flyer-PRINT.pdf

3. Three talks released for World Bee Day 2022

Many of you shared our message or took actions yourselves on World Bee Day (20th May). We are very grateful to you all for your support. To mark World Bee Day 2022, we recorded a series of three short talks so that they are available as a longer-term resource for those interested:

An Introduction to Ireland’s Bees
Top Ten Actions for Pollinators
Recording Pollinators

You can access those here: https://pollinators.ie/media/world-bee-day/

4. The joy of making your garden pollinator-friendly

To mark World Bee Day 2022, I have written a blog on the different wild bees that have visited my garden over the last few years. At the minute the tally is 18! For a small urban garden, 18 out of a total of 100 wild bee species isn’t bad. Especially when you consider that one third of our wild bees are threatened with extinction from the island of Ireland.

5. Pollinator research in Ireland

To mark World Bee Day 2022, Prof Jane Stout (co-founder of the AIPP) provided an update on the Irish Pollinator Research Network. Learn more about the fascinating research taking place in Ireland to underpin the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan.

6. New evidence-based guidelines on creating solitary bee nest sites

Over the coming year, the ‘Protecting Farmland Pollinators’ project within the National Biodiversity Data Centre will publish a series of evidence-based action sheets on how to best support pollinators on farmland. The first of these is now available: How to create solitary bee nest sites on your farm.

This has clear step-by-step instructions on how to create nesting sites for ground-nesting solitary bees and above-ground cavity nesting bees. It includes practical advice such as the tools you need, and tips from farmers who have already created nesting habitats on their own farms. As part of the project, farmers created over 300 nest sites for mining solitary bees and 130 sites for cavity nesting solitary bees. While the action sheet was developed for farmland, the learnings will apply across all sectors and be of relevance to anyone interested in the most effective way to create nesting habitat for solitary bees.

7. The problems with wildflower seed mixes

Dr Noeleen Smyth has written a blog to highlight the problems around wildflower seed mixes and suggest alternative biodiversity actions. Noeleen is an Assistant Professor in Environmental Horticulture at UCD. She is a qualified botanist and chartered horticulturalist with 30 years’ national and international experience.

8. FIT Count app

Thanks to those who have downloaded the free Flower-Insect Timed Count (FIT Count) app. Please help us collect more FIT Count data if you can. When it’s sunny, spend 10 minutes watching a patch of flowers and counting how many insects visit. The app brings you through how to do the count and makes it very easy to upload the data to the National Biodiversity Data Centre.

Read more about FIT Counts and find the links to download the free app: https://biodiversityireland.ie/national-biodiversity-data-centre-launches-new-app-to-collect-pollinator-data/

For those interested, the National Biodiversity Data Centre also runs a Garden Butterfly Monitoring Scheme: https://www.biodiversityireland.ie/projects/monitoring-scheme-initiatives/butterfly-monitoring-scheme/get-involved/garden-butterfly-monitoring/

9. School ‘pitches for pollinators’

During term time, pitches and grassy areas will be regularly mown giving kids important areas to play. However, during the summer holidays we are asking that schools consider leaving them for our pollinators. How School Groundskeepers can help:

From the end of June until mid-August, leave pitches unmown to allow wildflowers to naturally grow and provide food for insects.
If this isn’t possible, consider mowing just once across this period.
It’s important that when you do mow, that you remove the grass cuttings. Our native wildflowers grow better in poorer quality soil. By removing the cuttings each summer, you slowly reduce the soil fertility. This means that each summer the pitches will become more and more flower rich for pollinators.

The summer pitch might look like long grass to humans, but chances are that amongst the grass there will be lots of little flowers that will be lifesavers to our insects. Having ‘pitches for pollinators’ in schools across the island would create lots of pockets of excellent summer habitat for biodiversity.

If you have any contacts in schools, we’d be grateful if you can encourage them to leave ‘pitches for pollinators’

NEWSLETTER: MAY 2022

1. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the Red Mason Bee

This is another of our more distinctive solitary bees – look out for a rounded abdomen with orange hairs. This species is commonly found in gardens and will nest in existing cavities – usually loose masonry or bee boxes. It’s reckoned that just one of these females can do the pollination work of over a hundred honeybees!

2. To do this month: #NoMowMay

#NoMowMay is one of the best pollinator actions you can take to help! If you can, leave the lawn mower in the shed for the month of May to allow Clovers and other flowers to naturally bloom and feed hungry insects. You don’t have to let things go wild; but reducing mowing, even in small areas, will have a very positive impact on our pollinators (and it’s free!)

3. Tidy Towns Local Authority Pollinator Award – Spring 2022 Newsletter & Video

See the Spring 2022 newsletter for inspirational stories from last year’s winners and examples of fantastic work from other applicants. It also includes tips on preparing your Pollinator Award application. To celebrate the launch of this year’s Award, some of the 2021 winners kindly agreed to send in videos talking about their experience of working towards the Award and sharing some words of wisdom.

Find the newsletter and video here: https://pollinators.ie/tidy-towns-local-authority-pollinator-awards-2022/

4. National Biodiversity Data Centre launches new FIT Count app

We are delighted to launch a new Flower-Insect Timed Count (FIT Count) app to make it easier for recorders to carry out a count and upload the results to us. If you’ve taken actions as part of the AIPP, carrying out FIT Counts throughout the year and across future years will help track the impact of your actions on insect numbers and diversity. We express our thanks to the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme and to the EU SPRING project who developed a version of the app for use within Ireland.

We hope that you can help by downloading the app and carrying out some FIT Counts in 2022. Apart from collecting very valuable data on flower-visiting insects, it is a lovely way to spend 10 minutes connecting with nature!

Read more and find the links to download the free app: https://biodiversityireland.ie/national-biodiversity-data-centre-launches-new-app-to-collect-pollinator-data/

5. Festival of Farmland Biodiversity

The National Biodiversity Data Centre is hosting a month-long (virtual) Festival of Farmland Biodiversity for May 2022. The purpose of the festival is to encourage a more positive engagement around the topic of biodiversity and farmland, and to highlight some of the ways that farmers can work to support biodiversity.

Further details of the Festival of Farmland Biodiversity and the list of events can be found at: https://biodiversityireland.ie/farmlandbiodiversity

6. New video – Irish farms becoming more pollinator friendly

Protecting Farmland Pollinators is a project run by the National Biodiversity Data Centre that aims to develop and test a whole-farm pollinator scoring system and identify what management practices on Irish farmland will benefit pollinators. It aims to help farmers provide small habitats that will offer food, safety and shelter on their farms for pollinators (wild bees, hoverflies) and other biodiversity. Protecting Farmland Pollinators is a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM).

Watch this excellent new video on how the project is achieving it’s aims by working together with farmers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cORImcbOQ3E

7. World Bee Day; 20^th May

World Bee Day occurs each year on the 20^th May. Help us celebrate by sharing your pollinator actions on social media to encourage others. Within the AIPP, we will release some new talks and resources to mark World Bee Day 2022.

See more here: https://pollinators.ie/media/world-bee-day

8. Don’t sow, let it grow

May is a fantastic time to allow grassy areas to naturally regenerate into native meadows #NoMowMay

See our images of what a meadow should look like and why we don’t recommend wildflower seed mixes
https://pollinators.ie/wildflower-seed/

9. New blogs

Don’t forget we have an active blog series. New blogs over the last month include:

The AIPP farmland officer, Ruth Wilson, explains what native wildflowers are good for pollinators on your farm
An excellent update from Miriam Mooney, one of one of our Faith Community supporters, on protecting pollinators in their Rathgar Parish

https://pollinators.ie/blog/

NEWSLETTER: APRIL 2022

1. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the Tawny mining bee

This is one of our most distinctive solitary bees – look out for deep red hairs on the thorax and orange hairs on the abdomen. It usually comes out of hibernation in April and will be around until June. It nests by making little volcano-like burrows into bare soil and is most often found in gardens.

The Tawny Mining bee was thought to be extinct for 87 years in Ireland, before being rediscovered in 2012. Since then, it has been recorded from the North Wicklow coast and from some locations in Co Kilkenny. In 2019, it was recorded for the first time in counties Dublin and Kildare. In 2020, it was spotted for the first time in Counties Down, Tipperary and Waterford. In 2021, it turned up in Co Carlow. Can you help find more new populations this spring?

https://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/help-find-the-tawny-mining-bee/

2. To do this month: Pledge your garden for pollinators!

‘Pledging your garden for pollinators’ means you have chosen to make it a healthy pitstop for pollinators in the landscape. By taking some simple actions, you will help to provide much-needed food and shelter for our pollinating insects, while creating a beautiful, colourful garden. Thanks to the Local Authority Heritage and Biodiversity Officer Network, who funded this 4-page guide on making your garden pollinator friendly.

Download the 4-page guide: https://pollinators.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Pledge-your-Garden-for-Pollinators_WEB.pdf

Pledge your garden: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6NLCWS6

3. Another new solitary bee species has arrived in Ireland!

In amazing news, less than six-months after the arrival of the Ivy Bee, another new solitary bee species has been spotted in Ireland. The Hairy-footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes) has migrated from Britain to set up home in Ireland for the first time. The first sighting was made by Mary Molloy in her garden in Harold’s Cross, Dublin on the 27th March 2022. The Hairy-footed Flower Bee is a gorgeous insect and very distinctive. Keep an eye out and submit your records so that we can track its migration across Ireland in coming years. If you think you spot it this spring, please email me a photograph for validation.

We are thrilled that this new species was spotted by Mary, as she is part of a group in Harold’s Cross who have been proactively making their local area more biodiversity friendly over the last number of years.

4. Reduce mowing

As you know, we advocate the Don’t Sow, Let it Grow approach. This is a great time of year to reduce your grass cutting to allow little native flowers to pop up and provide free food for pollinators and other biodiversity. For those with short-flowering meadows and verges – allow Dandelions to flower in April. Then cut in preparation for No Mow May to allow Clovers to flower next month.

Photos. Left – many kilometers of Dandelion along the Ring Road in Waterford City thanks to Waterford City & County Council. Right – garden that has left patches of Clover.

#LetDandelionsBee
#NoMowMay
#PlantsToCelebrate

5. Carry out a 10-minute Flower-Insect Timed Count (FIT Count)

Watch a 50x50cm patch of flowers for 10 minutes and record how many insects visit. You don’t have to identify the insects to species, just to broad groups (e.g., bumblebee, wasp, fly etc.). We have lots of resources online to help you, including a short video. You can submit as many FIT Counts as you like between April and the end of September. FIT Counts can be carried out anywhere – garden, farm, park, school. You do need to wait until it’s sunny and at least 13C though!

In exciting news, we are hoping to release a new FIT Count app in the coming weeks!

https://biodiversityireland.ie/surveys/fit-counts/

6. Our Top Actions to help pollinators!

I know I mentioned this last time, but it is an important one! It can be difficult to know how best to help. We’ve collated the top actions you should be taking if you want to support our declining wild pollinators and wider biodiversity.

7. New pollinator monitoring scheme launches this month

This pilot scheme aims to detect the status, trends, and distribution of wild pollinators, and their interactions with plants across a fixed network encompassing farmland, semi-natural areas and urban parks. The information collected can be used to inform pollinator monitoring and conservation strategies at the local, national and EU level. Importantly, it will allow us to assess the impact of the AIPP in future years.

8. News from research: concerns around urban beekeeping

Urban beekeeping is booming, raising concerns that its fast growth might exceed existing floral resources and negatively impact urban biodiversity. Honey bees are important but they are a domesticated pollinator. Getting a new hive of honey bees is not an action that benefits biodiversity or our declining wild pollinators. Only do this if you want to start a new hobby. If you do, please engage with your local beekeeping association to ensure you keep healthy honeybees and do not spread disease to other hives or to wild bee populations.

Read more in this recent research paper: Challenging the sustainability of urban beekeeping using evidence from Swiss cities https://www.nature.com/articles/s42949-021-00046-6

9. Lovely new resource from Wales

The Welsh government have produced a lovely booklet on planting for pollinators. We also have some new resources planned around planting – watch this space!

Download the Welsh pdf here: https://www.biodiversitywales.org.uk/File/809/en-GB

NEWSLETTER: FEBRUARY 2022

1. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for large bumblebee queens that have emerged from hibernation

The two most common bumblebee queens you will spot this month are the Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and the White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum). They are similar to each other – both have one band on the thorax, one band on the abdomen and a whitish tail. The Buff-tailed bumblebee has orange bands and a buff or off-white tail. The White-tailed bumblebee has lemon yellow bands and a clean white tail.

Submit your sightings online here. You can attach a photo if you’re not sure if you have the correct identification https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/bumblebees

2. To do this month: Think about planning a herb bed or planter

Herbs are not only useful to us, but are also a great source of food for pollinators. Rosemary can be an important source of food for bees in March. You can follow this up with a range of herbs that will flower and provide food from spring through to late summer.

See our flyer on pollinator-friendly herbs: https://www.pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/AIPP-Herbs-A5-Flyer-PRINT.pdf

3. Working with farmers to learn how to best protect pollinators on farmland

Learn about the fantastic work taking place through the National Biodiversity Data Centre’s European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project on Protecting Farmland Pollinators. This research project has developed a whole-farm pollinator scoring system to help the farmer understand how pollinator-friendly their farm is. In the last year more than half of the participant farmers have increased their score! This project is working with farmers to identify how best to make farms more biodiversity friendly in a way that works for farmers and nature. Its findings ensure that we provide the right farmland pollinator advice through the AIPP.

4. Exciting new pollinator monitoring scheme launches this year

Thanks to funding from the National Parks and Wildlife Service & the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the National Biodiversity Data Centre is launching a national pollinator monitoring scheme to enhance our existing citizen science schemes. This pilot scheme aims to detect the status, trends, and distribution of wild pollinators, and their interactions with plants, across a fixed 50-site network encompassing farmland, semi-natural areas and urban parks. The information collected can be used to inform pollinator monitoring and conservation strategies at the local, national and EU level as well as assess the impact of the AIPP in future years.

5. Gaisce Bulbs for Bees initiative – half a million bulbs now helping pollinators!

You might remember that last autumn we supported Gaisce in a campaign to celebrate their 35th anniversary https://www.gaisce.ie/bulbsforbees. To mark this milestone, Gaisce asked everyone to plant pollinator-friendly bulbs to help safeguard the future of our wild bees and other insect pollinators. Those bulbs are now popping up to provide food for hungry pollinators. It’s also a lovely splash of colour for us humans as spring approaches! Share your pictures using #BulbsForBees

6. Dispatch from an international event: competition between Honey bees and wild bees

We want to start bringing you updates from international pollinator events. Thanks to Dr Dara Stanley in UCD for providing this update from a recent international conference held in Denmark. The event discussed what needs to be done to assess the threat of competition between domesticated Honey bees and our declining wild pollinators.

Read Dara’s update here: https://pollinators.ie/is-there-competition-between-domesticated-bees-and-wild-pollinators/

7. AIPP blog series: Plan for pollinators and biodiversity on your farm

See our latest blog from the AIPP Farmland Pollinator officer, Ruth Wilson. Learn how to plan for biodiversity and pollinators on your farm

https://pollinators.ie/plan-for-pollinators-and-biodiversity-on-your-farm/

8. Action Plan to address the detrimental effect inappropriate wildflower seed planting can have on Ireland’s biodiversity

Planting wildflower seed mixes is not the best action for biodiversity. To address the negative impacts it can have, we are working with experts across a range of organisations. The plan aims to increase awareness of the impact of commercial wildflower seed mixes across the public and private sectors, discourage the use of these mixes in inappropriate settings, and provide a roadmap for alternative, positive actions for biodiversity. It will be published shortly.

Our advice is always to Don’t Sow Let it Grow https://pollinators.ie/wildflower-seed/expert-opinions/

The photo below shows the kind of meadow bees actually want – this is achieved simply by reduced mowing! #DontSowLetitGrow

9. Welcome to our new Communities and Engagement Officer

Within the National Biodiversity Data Centre, we are delighted that Kate Chandler has joined us as the AIPP Communities and Engagement Officer. We already have lots of plans for 2022. Thanks to the National Parks and Wildlife Service for funding this position.

https://pollinators.ie/about/aipp-team

NEWSLETTER: JANUARY 2022

1. Keep an eye out for Winter Bumblebees

January is still a quiet month for sightings.The normal lifecycle of most Irish bumblebees ends when the workers and males die off and the newly mated queens hibernate through the cold Winter months. However, in recent years, the Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) has been seen foraging during winter months in both Ireland and in southern Britain. It is not known for certain what exactly is causing this. You can help improve our understanding by letting us know if you spot winter-active bumblebee workers. Photograph: Ciaran Taylor.

Please submit your sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre here: https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/bumblebees

2. To do: Plan to provide food for pollinators throughout the year

Checking if you have some of these plants each month is a great start to helping hungry pollinators! By reducing mowing to create a natural biodiversity meadow and carrying out some horticultural planting, it is very easy to provide bees with all of their favourite foods! Dandelion, Knapweed, Bush Vetch, Clovers and Bird’s-foot-trefoil will appear naturally in many grassy areas if you simply reduce mowing.

3. AIPP 2021-2025 makes a very positive start – see the 2021 annual review

The AIPP annual review for 2021 has been published. Huge thanks to all of our partners for providing their annual updates. The second phase of the AIPP for 2021-2025 was launched at the end of March 2021. We have made a strong start to the new Plan and already we are seeing very positive engagement and real commitment from all our partners. Of the 186 actions in the Plan, 81% were completed for 2021 or are currently in train.

You can access the full review, including the status of each of the 186 actions here: https://pollinators.ie/all-ireland-pollinator-plan-annual-review-2021-published/

4. Derry City & Strabane District Council publish their own Pollinator Plan 2021-2025

Derry City & Strabane District Council have developed their own Pollinator Plan for 2021-2025. Read about their excellent work to create habitats for pollinators: https://pollinators.ie/derry-city-strabane-district-council-publish-their-own-pollinator-plan-2021-2025/

5. Which is better – a sown ornamental wildflower meadow or a biodiversity meadow created by reduced mowing?

Read about this recent MSc project in Trinity College Dublin which compared ornamental meadows sown with wildflower seed mixes versus biodiversity meadows created by reduced mowing in which no seeds were sown.

The AIPP is an evidence-based plan and is very grateful to the community of academic researchers (https://pollinators.ie/research/) who continually help improve our knowledge and underpin the advice we provide #DontMowLetitGrow

https://pollinators.ie/which-is-better-a-sown-ornamental-wildflower-meadow-or-a-biodiversity-meadow-created-by-reduced-mowing/

NEWSLETTER: DECEMBER 2020

1. To do this month: Take some Willow Cuttings

Willow is a vital food source for bees in spring. At this time of year, you can take hardwood cuttings from existing Willows, creating a new willow plantation at little cost.

2. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for Winter Bumblebees

The normal lifecycle of most Irish bumblebees ends when the workers and males die off and the newly mated queens hibernate through the cold Winter months. However, in recent years, the Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) has been seen foraging during winter months in both Ireland and in southern Britain. It is not known for certain what exactly is causing this. You can help improve our understanding by letting us know if you spot winter-active bumblebees.

Please submit your sightings here: https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/bumblebees

3. AIPP Blog Series

Don’t forget, we have an AIPP blog series that shares advice and expertise. The latest one provides an overview of some of the excellent activities taking place in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council

https://pollinators.ie/blog/

4. Business supporters annual review for 2020

We are delighted that we now have more than 270 business supporters of the AIPP. In supporting the Plan, they all agree to take actions to help pollinators. We express our huge thanks to them all for their support. 2020 has been an incredibly difficult year for the business sector, but despite this, companies have continued to sign up as supporters and take action to help. The 2020 annual report outlining actions taken by each business supporter is just complete.

You can view it here: https://pollinators.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/AIPP-Business-Supporters_Annual-Review_2020.pdf

5. GAA Green Clubs

We are delighted to partner with the GAA on Phase 1 of their new Green Club Programme, which includes a biodiversity strand. To support this, we have developed an evidence-based guideline document for how sports clubs can become more pollinator and biodiversity-friendly. It will be launched in January.

https://www.gaa.ie/news/45-clubs-to-take-part-in-phase-1-of-gaa-green-club-programme/

6. Thanks to SuperValu

We thank SuperValu, who funded the project officer position in the final year of the first phase of the Pollinator Plan. Thanks to their 2020 support, we have been able to continue to expand our work with schools and local communities.

7. THANK YOU

The first phase of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan for 2015-2020 has been a huge success and we thank each and every one of you for your support. We have a very full January planned as we will celebrate the successful completion of the first phase and let you see the new and more ambitious version for the next five years. Through your efforts, you have all made the Pollinator Plan a reality. We thank you for that, and hope that we can continue working together for the next five years to improve things even further for our pollinators and our biodiversity.

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy Christmas and New Year.

NEWSLETTER: NOVEMBER 2021

1. Keep an eye out for queen Bumblebees

The normal lifecycle of most Irish bumblebees ends when the workers and males die off and the newly mated queens hibernate through the colder winter months. Occasionally at this time of year, you can still see some bumblebee queens fattening up for hibernation. If you spot any queen bumblebees that you’re able to identify, it’s very useful to let us know what plant it was feeding on.

Please submit your sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre here: https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/bumblebees

2. To do: Grow native trees from seed

Now is a great time to collect seeds from our native trees. The Rowan, Hawthorn and Elder berries are looking beautiful at the minute and the flowers from these native trees are a valuable food source for our pollinators in the spring. Collecting and growing seeds from healthy trees in Ireland is the best way to ensure that local trees can flourish, and gaps are restored with native species. This is especially important at a time when trees and native plants are under attack from imported pests and diseases.

3. New bee species in Ireland – the Ivy bee has arrived in Wexford!

In great news, the Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) has migrated from Britain to set up home in Ireland for the first time. The first sighting was made at the Raven Nature Reserve in Wexford by recorder Jim Kenny on the 12^th October 2021 (photo below). It’s a solitary bee with an autumn flight period, to match the flowering of its favourite plant – Ivy. In Britain it can be found from early September until early November. Keep an eye out in case there are other populations out there!

If you think you’ve spotted this species, please take a photograph, and submit it to the National Biodiversity Data Centre https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/solitary-bees

Read more about the first sighting here: https://pollinators.ie/new-bee-arrives-in-ireland/

4. The importance of species-rich meadows and grasslands (even mini ones!)

Species-rich meadows and grasslands are among the most threatened habitats in Ireland, with huge losses happening almost unnoticed. Dr Maria Long of the National Parks and Wildlife Service explains why this habitat is vital to our biodiversity and simple ways we can all help.

5. The case against wildflower seed mixes

The Dublin Naturalists’ Field Club explain how the use of ‘wildflower’ seed mixtures fails to address and even aggravates the real issues of biodiversity loss. You can access this important paper through the link below. We thank the DNFC for agreeing that their paper can also be shared through the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. Remember there are lots of other ways to help provide food for pollinators, particularly by reducing mowing and allowing our native wildflowers to naturally regenerate.

6. AIPP Blog Series – native trees

Don’t forget we have an AIPP blog series that shares advice and expertise. The latest one explains which native trees are most important for pollinators. Now is the perfect time of the year to plant additional pollinator-friendly native trees in your garden, park or on your farm.

Read more here: https://pollinators.ie/blog/

7. Annual reporting

Transparently tracking progress is a very important part of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. While the Plan is voluntary, at this time of year we do carry out extensive annual reporting. This includes:

A review of the 186 actions in the Plan itself, to include a 2021 progress report against each
Review of key actions taken in 2021 by each of our Council partners
Review of the actions each business supporter has taken in support of the AIPP in 2021

These three documents will be available on the website in December

NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER 2021

1. Keep an eye out for the Ivy bee

It has never been spotted in Ireland, but it is now common in Britain and seems likely to arrive on our shores very soon. This solitary bee has an autumn flight period to match the flowering of its favourite plant – Ivy. In Britain it can be found from early September until early November. It nests in south facing banks of light soil, you might even be lucky enough to have it set up home in your garden!

The Ivy bee is quite large and has very distinctive bands of white on the abdomen. To make it a little easier, most of our solitary bees have completed their life cycles now, although there will still be hoverflies, wasps and honeybees on the wing. If you think you have spotted this bee, please try to take a photograph and email it to me for validation.

http://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/watch-for-new-arrivals

2. To do: Plant some pollinator-friendly bulbs

Crocus (pictured), Grape hyacinth and Allium are all great options! Now is the time to get your bulbs planted and pollinators will thank you next spring-summer.

3. Bulbs for Bees – A Gaisce award challenge

Each autumn, we always encourage you to plant pollinator-friendly bulbs. This year we have an extra reason. The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is honoured to support Gaisce in a campaign to celebrate their 35th anniversary. To mark this milestone, Gaisce identified a special challenge to help Ireland’s biodiversity. They are asking everyone to plant pollinator-friendly bulbs to help safeguard the future of our wild bees and other insect pollinators. Bulbs are a sustainable way to help in your garden, school, business or local area. By making the effort to plant bulbs this autumn, they will pop up each spring over the coming years to support our struggling pollinators. Everyone can get involved in the Gaisce challenge and make a difference.

https://pollinators.ie/bulbs-for-bees-a-gaisce-award-challenge/

https://www.gaisce.ie/bulbsforbees/

4. New business and biodiversity platform

The National Biodiversity Data Centre is delighted to be working with Natural Capital Ireland and Business in the Community Ireland to develop an online hub to support businesses to act to combat the biodiversity crisis – through practical actions, tools & case studies, webinars and networking and promoting shared learning. Already, over 350 companies have signed up as supporters of the Pollinator Plan and have committed to taking action for biodiversity. We are excited to be part of this innovative new platform to develop biodiversity indicators for businesses. In future years, it will allow companies to transparently measure the direct impact of their actions; and will better demonstrate the contribution of the sector to helping reverse biodiversity loss.

https://www.naturalcapitalireland.com/post/announcing-nci-s-new-platform-to-help-businesses-take-action-for-biodiversity

5. Help pollinators by growing native trees from seed

With beautiful autumn colours starting to appear, this is the perfect time to start collecting seed from our native trees. The Rowan, Hawthorn and Elder berries are looking splendid this autumn and the flowers from these native trees are a valuable food source for our pollinators in the spring. Collecting and growing seeds from healthy trees in Ireland is the best way to ensure that local trees can flourish, and gaps are restored with native species. Read more in our latest blog:

https://pollinators.ie/growing-native-trees-from-seed/

6. ChangeX – helping communities to help pollinators

We are delighted to partner with ChangeX. They are helping to make funding available for local communities to support biodiversity by taking actions for pollinators in their local area. If interested, check out their website below in case funding is currently available for your local area

https://www.changex.org/ie/pollinator-plan

7. National Biodiversity Data Centre – new website

In the National Biodiversity Data Centre, we have launched a new website https://biodiversityireland.ie/

Visit the surveys page to learn how you can help us track change in Ireland’s biodiversity, including our pollinators.
https://biodiversityireland.ie/surveys/

NEWSLETTER: SEPTEMBER 2021

1. Keep an eye out for the Violet Carpenter Bee

A fascinating bee to keep an eye out for this month! The Violet Carpenter Bee is a very distinctive solitary bee. It’s entirely black with dark wings and is one of the largest solitary bees in Europe. It nests in dead wood and is not aggressive, despite how it might initially appear!

Before this year, it was recorded only once from Ireland, in Waterford City in 2007. In June 2021, we had a sighting from Kinsale in Cork. Over the last few weeks, new records have come in from Roscrea in Tipperary and from Dublin City. It started over-wintering in Britain in 2007 and is likely to be a regular new addition to our bee fauna as a result of climate change.

If you think you’ve spotted this bee, please send me a photo for verification.

2. To do: help our hungry bumblebees fatten up for hibernation

This is the time when pollinator-friendly garden plants can be incredibly important. As our meadow flowers wind down for the season, autumn-flowering garden plants can provide vital pollen and nectar for bumblebees as they fatten up for hibernation. Gardens, schools, businesses, parks can be lifesavers for pollinators at this time of year. Try to make sure you have pollinator-friendly plants where you are

Flyer: https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/AIPP-Garden-Plants_A5-Flyer-PRINT.pdf

Pollinator-friendly planting code: https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Planting-Code-2018-WEB.pdf

3. Don’t forget that meadows do still need management

September is the time when long-flowering meadows should be cut, and the grass removed. Having these meadows, however small, is a fantastic action for biodiversity as it is returning a vital species-rich grassland habitat that has been lost in Ireland. Don’t forget that these meadows do still need some management.

Each year you should try to remove the large, fast-growing plants and noxious weeds – Nettles, Docks, Ragwort, Hogweed, Thistles. Invasives species should also always be removed.

Normally, this will only be necessary in the initial years, and it’ll then settle into a lower-growing meadow flora that naturally becomes more flower-rich over time. Unfortunately, many people ignore this step, and these areas never get to reach their potential. The photo shows a fantastic new meadow in an area that was previously short grass. The potential of this meadow is huge, but in these initial years it would greatly benefit from the large brown Docks being removed.

See our short video with top tips for creating a meadow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY2tMCr0NR8&feature=emb_title

4. September is the perfect time to collect seed from pollinator-friendly wildflowers growing naturally in your local area

If you have reduced mowing to allow a natural wildflower meadow to develop, you can help it along by collecting seed from pollinator-friendly wildflowers growing in your local area. This month is the perfect time to do this and is especially useful if your meadow is not as flower rich as you would like. Our ‘Collecting and using pollinator friendly wildflower seed’ guide contains tips and advice on how to find the right seeds to collect, how to collect and store seeds, and how to sow them. Knapweed is an easy one to start with. This late summer flowering plant is brilliant in meadows as it has huge amounts of pollen and nectar.

Seed collecting guide: https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/How-to-guide-Seeds-2018-WEB.pdf

Recent blog https://pollinators.ie/collecting-native-irish-wildflower-seeds/

5. Cobh Tidy Towns creates a Pollinator Map

We are continually inspired by the actions that are being taken by Tidy Towns Groups to make changes for the better. Cobh has an incredible 37 sites that are managed by the community to help pollinators.

https://pollinators.ie/cobh-tidy-towns-creates-a-pollinator-map/

6. Great Yellow Bumblebee hunt – good news from Mayo

The Great Yellow Bumblebee (Bombus distinguendus) is one of our rarest bumblebees and is classified as Endangered on the Irish Red List. Most of the remaining populations are now on the Mullet Peninsula in Co. Mayo. On August 15th and 16th, Dr Dara Stanley and her research group in UCD carried out a bumblebee ‘blitz’ to survey for Great Yellow Bumblebee in the Mullet. Records of these new sightings have been submitted to the National Biodiversity Data Centre

https://pollinators.ie/the-ucd-great-yellow-bumblebee-recording-blitz/

7. Can you help us increase the number of Flower-Insect Timed Counts (FIT Counts) for 2021?

200 FIT Counts have been submitted online since the beginning of April. If you have 10 minutes to spare, this is a great way to get involved in helping us track changes in our pollinators. At the site level, it will help you track if the changes you have made as a result of the AIPP are working. You just need to watch a 50cmx50cm patch of flowers for 10 minutes and count how many insects visit. Counts from Knapweed, Butterfly Bush or Lavender would be especially useful this month.

https://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/fit-count/

8. AIPP Business Supporters Annual Review is now mandatory

To maintain the integrity of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021-2025, annual reporting by our business supporters is now mandatory.

We are incredibly grateful for the amazing pollinator-biodiversity work which has already been achieved by so many business supporters, and we are keen to see that this level is maintained as we move into the next phase of the Plan. Businesses will now be required to submit a short annual review. The vast majority have always done this, but from this year, those companies that do not indicate the evidence-based actions they have taken to help, will be removed from the list of business supporters. They will be able to re-engage at any time. This will not apply to those businesses who have been unable to take actions due to Covid-19.

https://pollinators.ie/businesses/

NEWSLETTER: AUGUST 2021

1. Keep an eye out for this hoverfly

There are around 180 different hoverflies in Ireland. Keep an eye out for this distinctive one called Volucella pellucens. It’s often found in woodland clearings or along hedgerows, where it likes to feed on Bramble. It lays its eggs in the nest of our common wasp where the larvae feed as scavengers on nest debris. Photo: Gillian Stewart.

Submit any sightings here: https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/hoverflies

2. To do: check if your bee hotel is being used – if not, consider moving it to a new location

Now is the perfect time to check if your bee box has been used this year. These boxes are mainly used by two types of solitary bees – leaf cutter bees and mason bees. Leaf cutter bees cut circular pieces of leaves and use them to line the cells in the nest. The Red Mason bee lines the cells of its nest with mud. Check if any of the cavities in your next box are closed off with pieces of leaf or with mud. If there are all still empty it hasn’t been used this year. In that case, it’s worth moving it to a new location so it’s in place for early next spring. The more flowers there are around your next box, the more likely it is to be found and used.

3. Residents’ Associations helping pollinators

We are continually inspired by the actions that are being taken by local groups to make changes for the better. Temple Manor/Wilkins Residents’ Association (TMWRAC) explain the Biodiversity Plan they have created for Greenhills, Dublin 12.

https://pollinators.ie/creating-a-local-biodiversity-plan/

4. New Pilot Pollinator Monitoring Scheme

Ministers Pippa Hackett and Malcolm Noonan have announced support for a pilot initiative to establish a National Pollinator Monitoring Scheme. The new scheme, run by the National Biodiversity Data Centre, will monitor wild pollinators (bumblebees, solitary bees, hoverflies and butterflies) across a network of 50 sites incorporating farmland, semi-natural and public land. The AIPP has consistently identified the need for long-term monitoring of wild pollinators, so that the impact of the Plan can be properly assessed. This pilot initiative will build on the citizen science schemes already established by the Data Centre and will begin in 2022.

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/d8663-ministers-hackett-and-noonan-announce-support-for-the-establishment-of-a-pilot-national-pollinator-monitoring-scheme/

NI announced that it would join the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme in May 2021 https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/news/poots-launches-initiatives-protect-pollinators

5. Better supporting businesses in helping pollinators

A fantastic 372 companies have now signed up as a business supporter of the AIPP and agreed to take actions to help. We are also delighted to be collaborating with Bord Bia to better support Origin Green companies in taking actions for biodiversity https://www.farmersjournal.ie/bord-bia-funding-to-support-new-biodiversity-officer-636503

Bord Bia are currently funding our AIPP agri-business officer, Sarah Kelly https://pollinators.ie/about/aipp-team/

Learn how to become a business supporter here: https://pollinators.ie/businesses/

6. Don’t Mow just yet!

Many of our beautiful ‘Don’t Mow Let it Grow’ meadows are coming towards the end of their cycle for this year. For many of us with longer-flowering meadows, there can be a temptation to mow now as the meadow begins to look dead and less tidy. Hold off if you can! From August, many plants will begin producing seed, ready to drop into the soil. If you give them a chance to do this, you’ll reap the rewards next year. Where possible, it’s best to try to leave meadows into September before you mow for the year.

Remember, when you do cut – you should remove the cuttings to gradually reduce the soil fertility and give next year’s wildflowers a chance to compete with the more dominant grass species. If you do this, it will become more flower rich year upon year.

We recommend naturally regenerated meadows rather than commercial wildflower seed planting. They might look less attractive to us humans, but they are much better for biodiversity as they will contain native pollen and nectar-rich wildflowers that have evolved with the insects and that are meant to be there.

7. Now is a great time to think about collecting some pollinator-friendly wildflower seed locally

From mid August is a good time to collect a little bit of seed from natural meadows in your area. This can be a great way to boost your own small meadows, patches or strips. My garden strip provides forage from spring through until August, but is naturally coming to an end as the Clover and Bird’s-foot-trefoil finish flowering. This year, I’m going to collect some Knapweed seed from a small meadow nearby, in the hope that I can extend its flowering next year. Knapweed is a fantastic native meadow plant that flowers in August-September. It provides enormous amounts of nectar for our insects at a time when they really need it.

See what seed to collect and how to store/plant in this guide: https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/How-to-guide-Seeds-2018-WEB.pdf

NEWSLETTER: MAY 2021

1. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the Red Mason Bee

This is another of our more distinctive solitary bees. It has a rounded abdomen with orange hairs. This species is commonly found in gardens and will nest in existing cavities – usually loose masonry or bee boxes. It’s reckoned that just one of these can do the pollination work of over a hundred honeybees!

2. To do this month: No Mow May

If you’ve cut your grass after allowing Dandelions to flower and provide vital food, now is the time to let it get slightly longer again as it’ll allow important plants like Clover to grow. You don’t have to let things go wild but reducing mowing, even in small areas, will have a very positive impact on our pollinators (and it’s free!)

3. World Bee Day; 20^th May – free booklet in the Irish Examiner

The Irish Examiner will have an A5 booklet on the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and how you can help. Don’t forget to pick up your copy on 20^th May. It’s a brilliant chance to get a free hard copy of our resources! Many thanks to the Irish Examiner for their support of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan.

The link below will be updated to include AIPP activities around World Bee Day 2021 https://pollinators.ie/media/world-bee-day-2021/

4. World Bee Day; 20^th May – new TG4 documentary: Plean Bee

Plean Bee: the radical plan reversing the decline of bees and pollinators across Ireland.

We were delighted to work with Deaglán Ó Mocháin who has made an amazing documentary on pollinators in Ireland, and how people across all sectors have come together to help under the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. The documentary includes stunning footage of Irish insects. We express our huge thanks to Deaglán and TG4 and encourage you all to watch it on the evening of the 20^th May.

Plean Bee TG4 20ú Bealtaine/May 9.30pm. Deaglán Ó Mocháin
https://dearcanmedia.com/

5. Launch of new industry specific pollinator guidelines

We were delighted to work with Host in Ireland and with Wind Energy Ireland to develop industry specific pollinator guidelines. Both were launched in April 2021. Huge thanks to both partners who worked with the AIPP to identify evidence-based and realistic actions their industries can take to help.

Wind Farms: https://pollinators.ie/sitespecificguidelines/wind-farms/
DCs for Bees: https://www.hostinireland.com/pollinator-plan

6. Pots for pollinators

By planting up a ‘pot for pollinators’ for your patio or balcony (or a window box), with pollen-rich flowers, you will provide much-needed food for our pollinating insects. Galway County Council, in partnership with a number of Tidy Towns groups in county Galway and the AIPP, have launched this new information leaflet.

https://pollinators.ie/plant-a-pot-for-pollinators/

7. Blog

We have just released a new blog on the excellent work being carried out by Tom Butler and Ballincollig Tidy Towns. It’s an inspiring example of how entire areas can become truly pollinator friendly by creating bee-stops and refuges through the community.

https://pollinators.ie/blog/

8. Pledge your garden for Pollinators

This initiative launched at the end of March 2021. Already, 783 people have pledged to make their garden pollinator friendly. Almost 90% of all who responded agreed to leave some Dandelions! Many thanks to all those who have pledged their garden and joined this AIPP mailing list.

More details: https://pollinators.ie/gardens
Take the pledge: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6NLCWS6

NEWSLETTER: APRIL 2021

1. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the rare Tawny mining bee

The Tawny Mining bee was thought to be extinct for 87 years in Ireland, before being rediscovered in 2012. Since then, it has been recorded from the North Wicklow coast and from some additional locations in Co. Kilkenny. In 2019, it was recorded for the first time in counties Dublin and Kildare. In 2020, it was recorded for the first time in Down, Tipperary and Waterford. Already this year we’ve had a confirmed sighting in Co. Carlow. Can you help find more new populations?

https://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/help-find-the-tawny-mining-bee/

2. To do this month: Pledge your garden for pollinators!

‘Pledging your garden for pollinators’ means you have chosen to make it a healthy pitstop for pollinators in the landscape. By taking some simple actions, you will help to provide much-needed food and shelter for our pollinating insects, while creating a beautiful, colourful garden. Huge thanks to the Local Authority Heritage and Biodiversity Officer Network, who funded this new 4-page guide on making your garden pollinator friendly.

Download our new 4-page guide: https://pollinators.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Pledge-your-Garden-for-Pollinators_WEB.pdf

Pledge your garden: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6NLCWS6

3. Carry out a 10-minute Flower-Insect Timed Count (FIT Count)

Help us track changes in pollinators by carrying out a FIT Count. Watch a 50x50cm patch of flowers for 10 minutes and record how many insects visit. You don’t have to identify the insects to species, just to broad groups (e.g., bumblebee, wasp, fly etc.). We have lots of resources online to help you, including a short video. You can submit as many FIT Counts as you like between now and the end of September. FIT Counts can be carried out anywhere – garden, farm, park, school. You do need to wait until it’s sunny and at least 13C though!

https://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/fit-count/

4. Blogs

Don’t forget we have an active blog series. Read our two most recent on why it is better to reduce mowing and allow natural meadow regeneration than plant wildflower seed.

Planting wildflower seed is a horticultural action that is fine in gardens. Not planting seed and allowing natural regeneration of grassy areas is an incredibly important biodiversity action that will help reintroduce natural meadows and verges to our landscape. This habitat has been decimated in recent decades to the detriment of all our biodiversity. But slowly, one site at a time and however small, we can bring them back!

https://pollinators.ie/blog/

5. Pollinator research in Ireland

A huge amount of pollinator research happens in our universities and in 2017 the Irish Pollinator Research Network was established. Their work underpins the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. The network meets annually to ensure collaboration, cohesion and that the evidence-base for policy and action is improved. Click on the link to see what current pollinator research is being carried out in Ireland:

https://pollinators.ie/research

5. Welcome to our new Pollinator Plan Farmland Officer

Within the National Biodiversity Data Centre, we are delighted that Ruth Wilson has joined us to help deliver the farmland actions in the AIPP 2021-2025. Thanks to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) for funding this position.

https://pollinators.ie/about/aipp-team

NEWSLETTER: MARCH 2021

1. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the Early Bumblebee

Keep an eye out for this lovely bumblebee. Typically, it has a yellow band on the thorax, one on the abdomen and a small red tip to its tail. Remember, we have a free online course to help you identify, record and monitor common Irish Bumblebees. You can access that here:

https://www.biodiversityireland.ie/identifying-irish-bumblebees/lesson.html

2. To do this month: Let Dandelions bloom

Dandelions are an incredibly important food source for our wild pollinators at this time of year. If you can, allow some to bloom! The photo speaks a thousand words for how much you’ll be helping our bees and other insects. The Pollinator Plan is not about planting wildflower seed, it’s about giving our biodiversity and native wildflowers a chance to naturally return. Don’t Mow, Let it Grow!

3. New videos on reduced mowing to create a natural meadow

We’ve made two new videos to help you create a natural wildflower meadow, from the biggest field to the smallest garden strip. Please always use this approach where you can, rather than planting wildflower seed. It is better for biodiversity and better for pollinators.

Thanks to Kildare, Wicklow and Kilkenny County Councils for funding these videos via the National Biodiversity Action Plan Fund. Thanks also to Peter at https://crowcragproductions.com/ for making the videos and showing the beauty of our biodiversity. You can watch the videos here:

pollinators.ie/videos/

4. New Council partners

We are delighted that Kildare County Council and Longford County Council have both recently signed up as partners of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and agreed to take actions to help. Twenty-six Councils across the island have now joined the Plan. Fingers crossed more will follow! See the Kildare Plan here: http://kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/AllServices/Heritage/BiodiversityandNaturalHeritage/AllIrelandPollinatorPlan/

https://pollinators.ie/councils/council-partners/

5. New All-Ireland Pollinator Plan for 2021-2025 will launch on the 26^th March

We are looking forward to releasing a new and more ambitious version of the AIPP for 2021-2025 on the 26th March. We hope that you will be willing to again support the Plan, as we continue our journey of creating an island where pollinators can survive and thrive.

NEWSLETTER: FEBRUARY 2021

Celebrating the success of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020

To celebrate the success of the last five years and highlight positive changes for nature across the island, we have produced a booklet ‘Working together for Biodiversity: Tales from the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020’
After difficult deliberation, 80 stories were chosen for inclusion to illustrate a selection of the different ways that people have helped pollinators since the first Plan was launched. There are hundreds’ more amazing conservation stories we could have told, and project examples we could have chosen. To those thousands of people, groups and organisations who should also be in this booklet and got behind the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan with such energy and enthusiasm, we are very grateful to work together with all of you on helping biodiversity.

https://pollinators.ie/new-publication-celebrates-first-five-years-of-the-all-ireland-pollinator-plan/

Final Review of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020

To close off the first phase of the AIPP, we have also released a final review document. The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020 had five objectives. Within each objective, targets were set, and actions identified to help achieve that target. Responsibility for delivering the 81 actions was shared out between the supporting organisations. In the Final Review, we have assessed each objective and identified key successes. We have also included a section on lessons learned through management of the initiative over the last five years. Download the full review below:

https://pollinators.ie/working-together-for-biodiversity/final-review/

Thank You

The AIPP 2015-2020 would not have been a success without your tireless support, enthusiasm and championing of the Plan through your own networks and contacts. We thank each and every one of you. It has shown – in every sector and in every corner of this island – people do care, and that we can come together to make changes for the better. Lots of small actions, taken together, make a big difference.

New All-Ireland Pollinator Plan for 2021-2025 will launch on the 26^th March

We are looking forward to releasing a new and more ambitious version of the AIPP for 2021-2025. We thank the National Parks and Wildlife Service (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) who have committed to funding a communities pollinator officer to help deliver the public land actions in the new Plan. We also thank the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine who have committed to funding a farmland project officer to help deliver the farmland actions.

We hope that you will all be willing to continue your support and help us build on the success of the first phase, to continue our journey of creating an island where pollinators can survive and thrive.

To do this month: Check for new ideas that you might be able to implement

We hope that this month, you’ll have an opportunity to look through our booklet to celebrate the first AIPP, and that regardless of your sector, you might get some new ideas and inspiration for ways you can help. By sharing success stories, hopefully we can all build upon them together.

https://pollinators.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/AIPP-Working-Together-for-Biodiversity-2015-2020-WEB.pdf

To spot this month: Keep an eye out for large bumblebee queens that have emerged from hibernation

NEWSLETTER: DECEMBER 2021

1. Keep an eye out for Winter Bumblebees

Please submit your sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre here: https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/bumblebees

2. To do: Plant a bare root apple tree

From November to March is a good time to plant bare root apple trees. Their spring blossoms provide food for pollinators, who in return ensure that you get a healthy crop of fruit in autumn. You can add a single tree (as in the photo below) or create a mini orchard. Where possible, it’s good to try to source Irish heritage apple trees https://irishseedsavers.ie

3. Council Partners Annual Review 2021

Annual reporting is a very important part of the AIPP and is carried out across all our networks of partners and supporters. This report shows the incredible work carried out by our Council Partners to support the Pollinator Plan in 2021. Each Council is different, as reflected in the differing focus and the very wide range of actions reported. What is very clear, is that Councils have embraced the Plan and are changing the way our landscape is managed for the better.

For each existing Council Partner, the point of contact was requested to provide up to five short bullet point updates on their activities in 2021. The photo below shows a native grassland meadow managed by Fermanagh & Omagh District Council.

For more details and to read the review visit: https://pollinators.ie/council-partners-2021-annual-review-is-published/

4. Business Supporters Annual Review 2021

The Business Supporters network continues to grow. Up until the end of October 2021, an additional 133 companies joined the Plan this year. In joining, they commit to taking evidence-based actions for pollinators and reporting on their activities. This brought the total number of business supporters to 416. However, as of 2021, annual reporting for Businesses is now mandatory. To maintain the integrity of this network, those who did not submit an update of their activities in support of the Plan in 2021 have been removed from the supporters list (they can re-engage at any point). The adjustment is reflected in the overall figure for AIPP Business Supporters, which now stands at 327. These companies are all taking genuine actions for biodiversity.

We thank all our Business Supporters and encourage you to read about the fantastic work they have each carried out in 2021.

More details: https://pollinators.ie/2021-business-supporters-annual-review-is-published/

5. Our most pollinator friendly towns and villages – Tidy Towns Pollinator Award Winners 2021

Local Communities continue to carry out inspiring work in support of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. The Local Authority Pollinator Award aims to encourage Tidy Towns groups to implement pollinator-friendly actions in their towns and villages as part of the Tidy Towns competition. It is coordinated and sponsored by the Heritage Offices and Biodiversity Offices of Local Authorities across Ireland, in partnership with the National Biodiversity Data Centre. To date more than 200 communities have become pollinator friendly through the award. In 2021, 55% of entries were from new entrants.

Congratulations to all award winners but particularly to the overall 2021 winner, Buncrana Tidy Towns in Co Donegal.

Other awards:

Best newcomer: Woodstown Village Residents Association
Regional Winners Large Town: Dundalk, Ennis, Clonmel, Buncrana
Regional Winners Small Town: Abbeyleix, Castlegregory, Leighlinbridge, Belmullet

6. 2021 Green Flag Pollinator Award for Parks – congratulations to Kilbarry Nature Park in Waterford City!

The Green Flag for Parks Pollinator Award is jointly run with An Taisce Environmental Education to support the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and is kindly sponsored by Young’s Nurseries. There are pollinator awards across different park categories. The overall 2021 Pollinator Award went to Kilbarry Nature Park, managed by Waterford City & County Council. Management at the Nature Park have invested a lot of work in making the site more pollinator-friendly in recent years, including protecting large areas of natural biodiversity meadows, extensive native hedgerows, and elimination of pesticide use. It also encompasses an integrated wetland and all this on a remediated landfill! This Park is unique in being focussed on nature yet offering a great public amenity area (photos below).

Congratulations to all the category winners in 2021:

Country Park: Wild Nephin Ballycroy NP Visitor Centre (National Parks & Wildlife Service)
Town Park: Kilbarry Nature Park (Waterford City & County Council)
Community Garden: Julianstown Community Garden (Julianstown & District Community Association)

7. Thanks to Juanita Browne

The AIPP was very fortunate to have had Juanita Browne as Project Officer from 2017 until September 2021. Juanita made an enormous contribution since she joined the Plan and has been truly instrumental in its success. On behalf of the National Biodiversity Data Centre and the Steering Group of the AIPP, we thank Juanita sincerely. We are very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her over the last number of years and to have been able to draw on her unique skill set to get the AIPP to where it is today. She will be sorely missed but we wish her all the best for the future.

8. Thank You

The second phase of the AIPP was launched at the end of March 2021. Already we are seeing very positive engagement and real commitment from all our partners. Together with our partners, we have completed an Annual Review of the 186 actions in the new Plan for 2021. Many of these actions are either completed for this year or in train. We will make this review publicly available at the beginning of January.

The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is a shared plan of action. It is about all of us coming together to try to create an island where pollinators can survive and thrive. Its success is entirely due to your support, goodwill and enthusiasm. We extend our enormous thanks to everyone who has taken actions and engaged with the Plan this year. We look forward to lots more progress and new initiatives in 2022.

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy Christmas and New Year.

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER 2020

1. To do this month: help us understand what plants are important to bumblebees in October

Most bumblebees have gone into hibernation by now. Often the last one to hang around is the common carder bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum). You can recognise it by its all ginger thorax and ginger tail. It is very useful to know what this bee is feeding on at this time of year. You can see it below on Rosemary in spring. If you spot this bee and are able to identify its food plant, please help by submitting your sighting and filling in the foraging box:
https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/bumblebees

2. To spot this month: Can you be the first to spot the Ivy bee in Ireland?

It has never been recorded here, but it is now common in Britain and seems likely to arrive on our shores very soon. This solitary bee has an autumn flight period to match the flowering of its favourite plant – Ivy. In Britain it can be found from early September until early November. It nests in south facing banks of light soil, you might even be lucky enough to have it set up home in your garden!
The Ivy bee (Colletes hederae) is quite large and has very distinctive bands of white on the abdomen. To make it a little easier, most of our solitary bees have completed their life cycles now, although there will still be hoverflies and honeybees on the wing. If you think you have spotted this bee, please try to take a photograph and email it to me for validation.
http://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/watch-for-new-arrivals

3. 2020 Green Flag Pollinator Award for Parks – congratulations to Maynooth Campus!

The Green Flag for Parks Pollinator Award is jointly run with An Taisce Environmental Education to support the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and is kindly sponsored by Young’s Nurseries. There are pollinator awards across different park categories, with Maynooth Campus being crowned overall winner for 2020. This site features not only reduced mowing, wildflower meadows, and pollinator-friendly planting, but Maynooth University grounds staff also make a great effort to educate the public and to promote their efforts through its website and social media.
https://pollinators.ie/2020-green-flag-pollinator-awards-for-parks-announced/

4. Nationwide coverage of the AIPP is now available to view from our website

What is the Pollinator Plan? How are councils, community groups and farmers supporting pollinators? This clip was produced as part of an RTE Nationwide programme about the work of the National Biodiversity Data Centre, filmed summer 2020. Sincere thanks to RTÉ and HiLite Productions for allowing us to share this programme as an educational tool. We have also added a short new video on wild bees made by Midlands Science and Dr Saorla Kavanagh to the school resource page:
https://pollinators.ie/videos/
https://pollinators.ie/schools/

5. All-Ireland Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme

Within the National Biodiversity Data Centre, our bumblebee monitoring scheme volunteers walk a fixed 1-2km route once a month from March-October and record the number of different bumblebees that they spot. Without the generous efforts of this group of citizen scientists, we simply would have no way of understanding what is happening with our wild pollinators in the landscape. See the latest annual report on the scheme below. Unfortunately, it paints a worrying picture for our two carder bumblebees, including the common carder bumblebee mentioned above. The more quickly we can all come together through the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan to return food and shelter to the landscape, the better for our wild bees and other insects!
https://www.biodiversityireland.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Bumblebee-Monitoring-Scheme-Newsletter-2020.pdf

SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER: SEPTEMBER 2020

1. To do this month: help our hungry bumblebees prepare for hibernation

This is the time when pollinator-friendly garden plants can be incredibly important. As our wildflowers wind down for the season, autumn-flowering garden plants can provide vital pollen and nectar for bumblebees as they fatten up for hibernation. Gardens, schools, businesses & parks can be lifesavers for pollinators at this time of year. Try to make sure you have pollinator-friendly plants where you are.

Flyer: https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/AIPP-Garden-Plants_A5-Flyer-PRINT.pdf

Pollinator-friendly planting code: https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Planting-Code-2018-WEB.pdf

2. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the common carder bumblebee

By September, many of our bumblebees are thinking about hibernation. One of the last to be spotted is the Common carder bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) which still flies into October. Keep an eye out for this very common bumblebee this month. It is variable and can become bleached in the sun. However, there are no other bumblebees that have all ginger hairs on the thorax, a ginger tail and then some black hairs on the abdomen. The photograph shows two common carder bees on Knapweed.

3. September is the perfect time to collect seed from pollinator-friendly wildflowers in your local area

If you have reduced mowing to allow a natural wildflower meadow to develop, you can help it along by collecting seed from pollinator-friendly wildflowers growing in your local area. This month is the perfect time to do this and is especially useful if your meadow is not as flower-rich as you would like. Our ‘Collecting and using pollinator friendly wildflower seed’ guide contains great tips and advice on how to find the right seeds to collect, how to collect and store seeds, and how to sow them. Knapweed is an easy one to start with. This late-flowering wildflower is brilliant in meadows as it has huge amounts of pollen and nectar.

Seed collecting guide: https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/How-to-guide-Seeds-2018-WEB.pdf

4. Mini orchards

The apple blossoms in my small garden had lots of solitary bees and bumblebees visiting earlier in May. I’m now reaping the rewards with a brilliant crop of fruit. Apple blossoms are a great source of food for pollinators in spring and you see the benefits of their hard work come autumn. Now is a good time to think about adding an apple tree to your garden or perhaps considering a mini orchard in your local community, business site, church grounds etc. Irish Seed Savers sell heritage fruit trees, so you can also help preserve our genetic heritage at the same time! You have plently of time – late winter or early spring is usually the best time to plant.

Read about Monaghan’s ‘Dispersed Urban Orchard’ for Pollinators: https://pollinators.ie/monaghans-dispersed-urban-orchard-for-pollinators/

5. Can you help us get to 400 Flower-Insect Timed Counts (FIT Counts) for 2020?

317 FIT Counts have been submitted online since the beginning of April. We are currently 83 short of our target of 400 before the scheme finishes for the year at the end of September. If you have 10 minutes to spare, this is a great way to get involved in helping us monitor changes in our pollinators. At the site level, it will help you track if the actions you have taken as a result of the AIPP are working. You just need to watch a 50cmx50cm patch of flowers for 10 minutes and count how many insects visit. Counts from Knapweed or Lavender would be especially useful this month.

https://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/fit-count/

JULY POLLINATOR PLAN NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER: JULY 2020

To do this month: make sure any annual bedding includes some pollinator-friendly options

To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the Wool Carder Bee

This solitary bee is very distinctive and can be spotted in gardens, especially in the South East.

Please help us by completing a short survey?

This short survey, in collaboration with TCD, is to help us better understand current engagement with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. We are always trying to improve and as we move towards a new version of the AIPP for 2021-2025 the insights from this survey would be invaluable. If you do have 10 minutes, we would be very grateful if you are able to take part. It is entirely anonymous.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScjHnCywytG-3xUAfykV31E4V9a5l9aN3-Q0N9KczDS5TCIfQ/viewform

Read our seven short success stories to mark Pollinator Week 2020

To mark Pollinator week (22-28^th June) we released a short good news blog each day. You can see each of those here: https://pollinators.ie/blog/

Flower-Insect Timed Counts (FIT Counts)

If you have 10 minutes to spare, this is a great way to get involved in helping us monitor changes in our pollinators. At site level, it’s a great way to track if the changes you may have made as a result of the AIPP are working. You just need to watch a 50cmx50cm patch of flowers for 10 minutes and count how many insects visit. The most useful counts are those that are repeated over time at the same location (or very nearby). You can use different target flowers at different times of year.

https://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/fit-count/

Thank you to all who submitted their ideas for the next version of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021-2025

We recevied a total of 134 ideas to the Survey Monkey form. We are incredibly grateful for all the constructive suggestions and all will be considered. All AIPP partner organistions will be contacted to capture their ideas over the coming months. The public will still have another chance to feed in. Once a draft of the next Plan is agreed later in the year it will go out for a short public consultation. Thank you again to all those who helped at this stage.

JUNE POLLINATOR PLAN NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER: JUNE 2020

To do this month: make sure your garden doesn’t have any hunger gaps

Try to make sure your garden has something flowering from March to October for pollinators to feed on. In mine, it’s currently the Clover in the lawn as well as various trees and shrubs (Laburnum, Lavender, Wallflower, Catmint). The bumblebees and solitary bees are earning their keep at the minute as they’re also very busy pollinating my fruit trees/bushes, strawberries, tomatoes and courgettes!

Pollinator-friendly garden plants: https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/AIPP-Garden-Plants_A5-Flyer-PRINT.pdf

Pollinator-friendly herbs: https://www.pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/AIPP-Herbs-A5-Flyer-PRINT.pdf

To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the Red-tailed Bumblebee

This bumblebee is very common. The females are entirely black with a red tail.

Thank you for helping us to promote World Bee Day

Many of you shared our message or took actions yourselves on World Bee Day. We are very grateful to you all for your support. Pollinator Week is happening this year from June 22-28, 2020 https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator-week Keep an eye on the AIPP website for anything happening in Ireland.

See the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan on Nationwide

Nationwide covered the work of the National Biodiversity Data Centre as well as the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan on their show on the 27th May. You can see the episode on the RTE player at:

https://www.rte.ie/player/series/nationwide/SI0000001172?epguid=IH000382854

Now is the time to input your ideas into AIPP 2021-2025!

We are now actively working on the next version of the AIPP. If you have any thoughts or ideas that you think we should consider please send them to us. You can do this using the survey monkey form – anonymously if you wish! All ideas, big, small and radical are gratefully received and all will be given consideration.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/35SSJ89

Amazing things are happening as a result of reduced mowing across the island!

It’s hard to describe in full, but amazing biodiversity has been reappearing as a result of reduced mowing for pollinators. Follow us on twitter @PollinatorPlan where people are sharing pictures. A rare Green-winged Orchid appeared on an unmown grassy verge in a Portlaoise housing estate, nearly 120 years after it was previously found in the general area! Since last weekend, over 300 rare bee orchids have appeared on Midleton roadside verges (photo below)! This is the first year of their reduced mowing regime as part of the town Pollinator Plan.

The National Biodiversity Data Centre has written to all Council CEO’s in RoI to highlight what a positive impact recent reduced mowing on public land has had.

https://pollinators.ie/does-the-lockdown-bring-any-silver-linings/

https://www.naturalcapitalireland.com/post/guest-blog-the-district-council-bringing-back-the-bees-with-a-pollinator-plan

MAY POLLINATOR PLAN NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER: MAY 2020

To do this month: #NoMowMay

If you’ve cut your grass after allowing Dandelions to flower and provide vital food, now is the time to let it get slightly longer again as it’ll allow important plants like Clover to flower. You don’t have to let things go wild! Reducing mowing, even in small areas, will have a very positive impact on our pollinators (and it’s free!)

To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the Red Mason Bee

This is another of our more distinctive solitary bees – look out for the rounded abdomen with orange hairs. This species is commonly found in gardens and will nest in existing cavities – usually loose masonry or bee boxes. It’s reckoned that just one of these can do the pollination work of over a hundred honeybees!

Debunking myths – make sure you’re doing the best thing to help

The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan has received a huge amount of support across all sectors. We are incredibly grateful to each and every person who has answered the call to action. Thousands of positive changes have already been made to help address the critical problem of pollinator decline.

It is the beginning of a long journey, but pollinators are undoubtedly better off than before we all began this process. However, sometimes certain ideas can take hold that are not necessarily the most effective evidence-based actions. If you are generous enough to help, we want to make sure that what you are doing is the right thing and is having as positive an impact as possible. Some common myths are addressed in the pdf presentation below:

https://pollinators.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Debunking-myths-blog.pdf

Now is the time to input your ideas into AIPP 2021-2025!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/35SSJ89

Four new Councils have become formal partners of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan

We are delighted that Westmeath County Council, Clare County Council, Offaly County Council and Derry City & Strabane District Council have signed up as formal partners, bringing the total to 23 (55%). Huge thanks to all who have made this happen.

https://pollinators.ie/councils/council-partners/

Learn about some of the amazing work carried out by Tidy Towns Groups for pollinators in 2019

We have set up a special communities’ blog series so that we can share the amazing work carried out by Tidy Towns groups to help our pollinators in 2019. Although the competition is unfortunately not happening this year, it should give lots of food for thought for the future. You will find blogs from last year’s regional winners – Dunboyne, Ennis, Kilkenny, Buncrana, Geashill, Sneem, Tullahought & Belmullet. Fingers crossed we can establish something similar in the NI equivalent in the next phase!

https://pollinators.ie/communities-blog/

Or the full 2019 newsletter here: https://pollinators.ie/communities/tidytowns-pollinator-award/2019-local-authority-pollinator-award-results-newsletter/

APRIL POLLINATOR PLAN NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER: APRIL 2020

Dear all,

I hope that you are staying well in these challenging times. While we will continue to maintain the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, and plan for the next phase (2021-2025), public health is the key priority and we hope you and your family remain safe over the coming months. Within the National Biodiversity Data Centre, we are continuing to run some of our pollinator recording schemes, but please only take part if it is possible to do so in accordance with government guidelines. See our guidance for biological recording here: https://www.biodiversityireland.ie/guidance-on-biological-recording-and-the-covid-19-pandemic-issue-by-the-national-biodiversity-data-centre

Úna FitzPatrick

1. To do this month: Carry out a 10-minute Flower-Insect Timed Count (FIT Count) in your garden

You can contribute vital pollinator data from your own garden. Watch a 50x50cm patch of flowers for 10 minutes and record how many insects visit. You don’t have to identify the insects to species, just to broad groups (e.g., bumblebee, wasp, fly etc.). We have lots of resources online to help you. Great activity to try with kids in the Easter holidays! You can submit as many FIT Counts online as you like between now and the end of September. You do need to wait until it’s sunny and at least 13C though! Visit the link to learn how to take part:

https://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/fit-count/

2. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the Tawny Mining Bee

This is another of our most distinctive solitary bees – look out for deep red hairs on the thorax and orange hairs on the abdomen. It usually comes out of hibernation in April and will be around until June. It nests by making little volcano-like burrows into bare soil and is most often found in gardens.

The Tawny Mining bee was thought to be extinct for 87 years in Ireland, before being rediscovered in 2012. A new location was reported from Wicklow this week, but its still only known from counties Wicklow, Dublin, Kilkenny and Kildare. Can you help find new populations?

https://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/help-find-the-tawny-mining-bee/

3. Eight ways to help pollinators from your own garden

In these difficult times, we have been receiving requests for biodiversity-related ways that people can fill their time, as well as information on how they can help pollinators. For those who are fortunate enough to have a garden, you may be interested in our new blog which outlines eight simple and free things that you can do to help.

https://pollinators.ie/8-ways-to-help-pollinators-without-leaving-your-garden

4. Learn about some of the amazing work carried out by Tidy Towns Groups for pollinators in 2019

We have set up a special communities blog series so that we can share the amazing work carried out by Tidy Towns groups to help our pollinators in 2019. Over the coming weeks we hope to share blogs from each of the eight regional winners in the 2019 Tidy Towns special pollinator award. The Local Authority Pollinator Award is sponsored by the Heritage Offices & Biodiversity Offices of Local Authorities across Ireland. This amazing mural was made by Geashill Tidy Towns Group using old bottle caps!

https://pollinators.ie/communities-blog/

5. Follow us on Twitter

We have set up a dedicated All-Ireland Pollinator Plan twitter account at @PollinatorPlan We hope to use this to share information on our pollinators and activities across the Plan in the coming weeks and months. We’d be very grateful if you can follow us and help spread the word.

Register Now!

Spring has arrived, and with it the National Biodiversity Data Centre is pleased to bring you its Spring Summer 2020 Workshop Programme.

The delivery of an annual workshop programme is a crucial part of the National Biodiversity Data Centre’s role, that aims to support the recording and citizen science network in Ireland, building on and improving Ireland’s recording base. 2019 was an exceptional year for the Data Centre’s workshops, having registered over 500 participants across 24 workshops in total. That brings the total number of people registered for any of our workshops over the course of 10 years since the very first workshop to over 3,500!

Onlookers view the results of a night’s worth of moth trapping in Lullymore, July 2019.

Participants putting their seabird identification skills to the test at Downpatrick Head, Co. Mayo, June 2019.

It is very humbling to witness the interest shown in our workshops across the country, and ultimately a willingness by people to learn more about Ireland’s natural heritage. A huge thanks is owed to all those who attended and took part in our workshops over the years, and to all those who the Data Centre had the pleasure of working with since the introduction of the very first workshop programme in 2009.

In 2020’s Spring Summer workshop programme, we are delighted to be able to partner up with several organisations and recognised experts from the field of ecology and biological recording to bring you 12 workshops to choose from.

What’s in store for biodiversity recorders from February to June? Download your own copy of the new workshop programme to find out:

Spring Summer 2019 Workshop Programme

Booking a place at a workshop

Places are limited so advance booking and payment is essential. To book a spot on one or more of our workshops, visit the events section of our website: http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/events/. Please note, you will need your bank card during the booking process to complete registration for any of our workshops.

Booking fees per person range from €20.00 for students, to €30.00 for standard attendees. Our professional workshops fee is €50.00.

For further information please contact the National Biodiversity Data Centre. You can call us at 051306240, or email us at info@biodiversityireland.ie.

New animation released!
“Mapping Ireland’s biodiversity“

Check out our new short animation introducing Biodiversity Maps – a national portal that collects biological data from multiple sources and makes it freely available online. Find out what biodiversity occurs in Ireland, and where!

Ireland’s Buzzing:
International Conference on Pollinator Conservation

Join us for an exciting international pollinator conference in Limerick in May 2020! All welcome – but book early to ensure your place in advance. Book here.

International conference brochure

Half a million species recorded milestone!

A significant milestone was reached during January when the no. of records submitted to the National Biodiversity Data Centre via Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal passed the 500,000th mark.

Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal

Enjoy instant visibility of Ireland’s biological recording activity in Ireland and visit our portal if you want to find out more about Ireland’s wildlife, or to submit your own records of Ireland’s biodiversity.

Citizen Science Portal

Biodiversity Maps

Explore over 4.2 million species occurrence records with Biodiversity Maps; find out what biodiversity occurs in your locality; interrogate the latest dataset uploads and download your very own species distribution maps.

Biodiversity Maps

October Pollinator Plan Newsletter

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NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER 2019

1. To do this month: Submit your data for 2019

If you have taken part in any of our pollinator recording schemes e.g., Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme, Solitary Bee Monitoring scheme or the Flower-Insect Timed Count, now is the perfect time to make sure you safely submit the data to us
https://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/

2. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for the Ivy Bee

The Ivy Bee has never been spotted in Ireland, but it is now common in Britain and seems likely to arrive on our shores very soon. It’s a solitary bee with an autumn flight period, to match the flowering of its favourite plant – Ivy. In Britain it can be found from early September until early November. It nests in south facing banks of light soil, you might even be lucky enough to have it set up home in your garden!
It should be fairly easy to recognise – it’s quite large and has very distinctive bands of white on the abdomen. To make it a little easier, most of our solitary bees have completed their life cycles for this year, but there will still be hoverflies and honeybees on the wing. If you think you’ve spotted this bee please try to take a photograph and email it to me for validation.
http://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/watch-for-new-arrivals/

3. Congratulations to Buncrana (pictured) and Geashill, Irelands most pollinator-friendly large and small town for 2019Buncrana won the national large town Pollinator Award at the Tidy Towns 2019 awards, recognising all that has been done by the town to help pollinating insects. Geashill continues to excel in this competition and this year proudly took the top award for most pollinator-friendly small town in Ireland. Congratulations to both and to the other regional winners: Dunboyne, Ennis, Kilkenny, Sneem, Tullahought and Belmullet. Over 160 pollinator-friendly towns and villages, from every county in Ireland, have entered the Local Authority Pollinator Award since 2016.
https://pollinators.ie/tidy-towns-gone-pollinator-friendly-in-2019/

4. Important new guideline just published: Pollinator-friendly management of Transport CorridorsWorking with partners, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Iarnród Éireann, Translink and the Department of Infrastructure Northern Ireland, the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan has published guidelines on how transport corridors can be managed in a pollinator-friendly way. These new guidelines detail 21 different actions transport managers can take to help pollinators. You can read more and download the guidelines here: https://pollinators.ie/transportcorridors/

5. Helping our most threatened bumblebee

We have released the first document in a new series on protecting rare pollinators. This one is focused on the endangered Great Yellow Bumblebee. Visit the web page to download the guideline document as well as a poster and other resources.
https://pollinators.ie/helping-endangered-pollinators/great-yellow-bumblebee/

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NEWSLETTER: SEPTEMBER 2019

1. To do this month: Collect pollinator-friendly wildflower seed to use locally

Now is a good time to collect your own pollinator-friendly wildflower seed to add to your meadow. Knapweed seed is easy to collect and it’s a great plant to have in your meadow as it is extremely rich in nectar. To learn more about collecting your own seed locally see our guide: https://pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/How-to-guide-Seeds-2018-WEB.pdf

2. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for leafcutter solitary bees

They are coming to the end of their season, but one of the most interesting solitary bees to spot are the leafcutter solitary bees (Megachile). They cut sections of leaf or petal and bring it back to line the cells in their nest. These are the solitary bees that most often use bee boxes. You’ll know your box is occupied if you see a little circular piece of leaf closing the cavities.

3. Thanks to the amazing efforts of Tidy Towns groups in making their local communities pollinator friendly!

We have been blown away by the quality of the Tidy Towns entries in the 2019 special pollinator award. Good luck to everyone who entered this year – winners will be announced on the 30^th September at the Tidy Towns awards ceremony in the Helix. The map shows all those Tidy Towns groups in the RoI who have made their area pollinator-friendly since 2016!

4. Councils continue to sign up as partners of the AIPP

To date, 12 Councils across the island have signed up as partners of the AIPP and agreed to take action. We know that for others the process is in train. If your Council is not yet taking part, it would be very useful if you could encourage them to do so. It is also very helpful to contact Local Authorities and show your support when you see them taking positive actions like reducing mowing or pollinator-friendly planting. Often they only hear from the people who don’t like it! See our current Council partners here: https://pollinators.ie/councils/

5. Helping our most threatened bumblebee

The next in our How-to-guide series is on protecting rare pollinators and identifies actions to help the endangered Great Yellow Bumblebee. Unfortunately, this bumblebee is on the verge of extinction, with the Mullet Peninsula in Mayo now it’s most important remaining location. The guideline document will be officially launched in early October at an event organised by Mayo County Council. You’ll be able to download it from www.pollinators.ie then.

Dragonfly Dash & Butterfly Bash

National Heritage Week Recording Challenges

National Heritage Week runs from tomorrow Saturday 17th to Sunday 25h of August, a celebration of Ireland’s rich natural and cultural heritage. To support National Heritage Week, celebrate Ireland’s natural heritage, and contribute to the Butterfly Atlas 2021 & Dragonfly Ireland Atlas 2024, we’re running both a Butterfly Bash and Dragonfly Dash challenge to encourage everyone to get out and record wildlife over the course of the week.

Brimstone. Post-hibernation adults can be seen flying from March to June, with their offspring being on wing from July to November. Image credit: Liam Lysaght

Common Darter. Common all throughout Ireland, only absent from upland areas.Can be seeing flying from June to October (occasionally May and/or November). Image credit: Eamonn Brennan

Everyone can get involved and no matter how common or rare the speciesplease submit your records as normal through our butterfly and dragonfly recording forms: https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/start-recording

You can keep an eye on the real-time progress of the Butterfly Bash here:
http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/record-biodiversity/butterfly-bash-2019/

Or if you would like to keep an eye on progress with the Dragonfly Dash click here: http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/record-biodiversity/dragonfly-ireland-2019-2024/dragonfly-dash-aug-2019/

The message is simple: we’re hoping to capture as many records of Butterflies, Dragonflies and damselfies as possible during National Heritage Week!

Over the course of National Heritage Week (17-25 August) we are encouraging everyone to visit 10 km squares that are blue or green to help fill gaps for Butterfly Atlas 21.

Filling the gaps for Butterflies

Following on from our success in filling in the gaps for the Butterfly Atlas 2021last year, we’re running with a more targeted approach this year again. Given the fantastic support we’ve received to date for the Atlas there are certainly fewer gaps than last year, but if you’re out and about over Heritage Week please take a look at the map on our Butterfly Bash page to see where your butterfly recording will have the most impact and keep track of what butterflies are being recorded too!

Dragonfly recorder survey

Casual records are the bread and butter of most of our recording challenges. But if you are able to offer a bit more experience in identifying Dragonflies and Damselflies, why not try completing our Dragonfly recorder survey – much the same as casually recording the presence of particular species except with the added dimension of estimating numbers and doing a very quick and simple habitat assessment. All data gathered during site surveys also counts towards our Dragonfly Dash!

Identification swatch giveaway

We’re feeling generous at the Data Centre for National Heritage Week! For some of our lucky followers on Facebook and Twitter, you might be in with a chance to win yourself a Butterfly or Dragonfly swatch – head to our respective social media profiles to find out more!

The Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme supports and coordinates a network of citizen scientists across the island of Ireland. In collaboration with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust in Northern Ireland, the scheme now records greater than 13,000 bumblebees from over 100 sites each year.

If you are interested in becoming part of the community of Bumblebee Monitoring recorders and want to find out more about about the scheme, click on the image above for a short 10-minute clip and a perfect introduction!

New recording scheme launched!

Citizen scientists have been called upon to help the National Biodiversity Data Centre track Ireland’s dragonflies and damselflies and more volunteers are needed.

Dragonfly Ireland 2019-2024

Flower Insect Timed (FIT) Count

Help us track changes in our insect communities. Recorders are needed and anyone can get involved, even from the comfort of your own home!

More Information

Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal

Citizen Science Portal

Biodiversity Maps

NEWSLETTER: AUGUST 2019

1. To do this month: Make sure your garden still has plants in flower for pollinators

From late summer into autumn it is very important that pollinators still have a source of food. Many will need to fatten up before going into hibernation in the autumn. Garden plants like Lavender, Aster (photo) and Rudbeckia are great sources of pollen and nectar.

2. To spot this month: keep an eye out for bumblebee males

There are lots of bumblebee males in flight at the minute. Males only fly for a short time each year. Once they emerge, they aren’t allowed to live in the nest and instead have to fend for themselves. You might see them first thing in the morning hanging onto flowers (like Lavender) where they’ve spent the night. See our guide for how to identify common bumblebee males in Ireland: https://www.pollinators.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/CommonBBmales_v1_lowres.pdf

3. Number of business supporters of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan continues to increase

We have had a lot of support from the business sector, with the number of companies agreeing to support the Plan and take action now exceeding 170, including Glanbia Ireland (photographed). We have decided to release regular short case studies outlining what different businesses are doing to help and are delighted that the first one profiled is Gannon Homes: https://pollinators.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Gannon-Homes-business-case-study-August-2019.pdf

4. Congratulations to Malahide Demesne and Talbot Botanical Gardens, winners of the Green Flag for Parks Pollinator award in 2019

Malahide Demesne and Talbot Botanical Gardens, is managed by Fingal County Council. They have invested a lot of work in making the grounds more pollinator-friendly in recent years, including protecting 37 acres of wildflower meadows, extensive native hedgerows, planting 45,000 pollinator-friendly bulbs; and elimination of pesticide use.

Category awards were also given to Tymon Park, South Dublin County Council for the Best Town Park; the Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden in Phoenix Park for Best Walled Garden; and a new Community Garden award went to Headford Community Orchard.

The Pollinator Award is jointly run with An Taisce Environmental Education to support the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, and is kindly sponsored by Young’s Nurseries.

5. ‘Actions for Pollinators’ mapping system reaches a milestone as 1,000 sites log their actions for pollinators!

‘Actions for Pollinators’ is an online mapping system where you can tell us what action you have taken to help. To see what’s happened near you, or to log your own site please visit: https://pollinators.biodiversityireland.ie/

Our forward planning, choosing and planting of the correct pollinator plants this year is really paying dividends. A lovely selection of butterflies have been seen over the summer and bees are very plentiful.

In the last number of weeks we have been advised that about 8 swarms of bees had arrived in Ballincollig and had to be relocated. In all the years we have never heard of this number of swarms.

Well done to everyone who took the time to add to the Pollinator Corridor and/or chose the appropriate plants for their garden. It has made a huge difference.

NEWSLETTER: JULY 2019

1. To do this month: Allow some wildflowers to naturally grow in your lawn to provide food for pollinators

If you don’t cut the grass so often, plants like Dandelion, Clovers, Vetches, Self-heal, Dog Daisy and Bird’s-foot-trefoil will get a chance to flower. These are all fantastic sources of pollen and nectar for our bees and other insects. You can allow the whole lawn to flower, just have a patch or even cut summer swirls like this garden in County Offaly.

2. To spot this month: keep an eye out for the Common carder bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum)

Keep an eye out for this distinctive bumblebee. The top of the thorax is entirely covered in ginger hairs and it has some black hairs on the abdomen. You can find it in most habitats including gardens and parks. If you spot it please submit a record:
https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/bumblebees

3. We’ve released a new guideline document!

This one explains simple actions that can be taken on golf courses to make them more pollinator-friendly. We were delighted to collaborate with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of Ireland in developing this document. With over 300 clubs across the island, the impact golf courses could have is huge. If you’ve involved in a local club, please help by letting them know about these new guidelines https://pollinators.ie/new-guidelines-on-how-to-make-golf-courses-pollinator-friendly/

4. Download our new Bumblebee poster

We have a new identification poster showing the 21 different types of bumblebees that occur on the island of Ireland. You can download it for free here https://pollinators.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/SE-29-NBDC-Bee-Poster-2019_EMAIL.pdf

5. All-Ireland Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme

The Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme was established in 2011. It’s a citizen science scheme run by the National Biodiversity Data Centre where volunteers agree to walk a fixed 1-2km route once a month and record how many bumblebees they see. New volunteers are always welcome! If you’d like to learn more about what is involved, you can watch this excellent video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExCO4yM-bkg

We work closely with senior members of Ballincollig Scout Group and one of the projects one group did was to build a Bug Hotel. They built it from scratch. The Bug Hotel is designed to provide shelter for insects. and providing nesting facilities particularly during winter.We also welcome the pollinators who have lots of areas to shelter. Thankfully we are nearly at full capacity and the bugs are fascinating to watch..

A second group of scouts wanted to do something different so they got two barrels and painted them and gave us both Male and Female Floral Displays. The two barrels are positioned on either side of the Bug Hotel and the plants attract the bees to the area.

NEWSLETTER: JUNE 2019

1. To do this month: Help us

by doing a FIT Count

To better monitor our pollinators into the future, we have launched a new scheme called Flower-Insect Timed Count (FIT Count). We are asking volunteers to watch a 50cm x 50cm patch of flowers for 10 minutes and record how many insects visit. You just need to count the insects by type e.g. bumblebee, beetle etc. We are very grateful to anyone who can help by taking part in their garden, park, school, farm etc.

https://pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/fit-count/

2. To spot this month: keep an eye out for the Red-tailed bumblebee

Keep an eye out for this very distinctive bumblebee. Females are jet black with a red tail and black hairs on their hind leg. You can find it in most habitats including gardens and parks. If you spot it please submit a record:
https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/record/bumblebees

3. Join us this weekend at Burren in Bloom (7-9th June)

Burren in Bloom is an amazing festival that happens across the Burren each June. This year we are delighted to collaborate with the festival which will have a special focus on pollinators. There are lots of walks, talks and events over the three days – most free to attend. Hope to see some of you there!
https://www.burreninbloom.com/

4. Councils supporting the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan

We were delighted to be at the launch of the Fingal County Council Bee Postive garden at Bloom in the Phoenix Park last week (photograph above). To date, 10 Councils across the island have formally signed up as partners of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, With almost a quarter on board already, we hope that more Councils will follow over the coming months https://pollinators.ie/councils/

5. Thanks to the Irish Examiner for helping raise the profile of pollinators

The Irish Examiner covered the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan very extensively in May. This included a beautiful 32-page brochure and a poster to mark World Bee Day on the 22nd May. We are very grateful for their help in spreading the message. They have a another great article in today’s paper on how farmers can help pollinators: https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/specialreports/creating-a-buzz-about-diversity-will-benefit-all-928527.html

BIODIVERSITY CRISIS

IS ABOUT TO PUT HUMANITY AT RISK UN SCIENTISTS TO WARN

‘We are in trouble if we don’t act,’ say experts, with up to 1m species at risk of annihilation.

Students protest in Adelaide. UN experts warned people alive today are at risk unless urgent action is taken. Photograph: Kelly Barnes/EPA

The world’s leading scientists will warn the planet’s life-support systems are approaching a danger zone for humanity when they release the results of the most comprehensive study of life on Earth ever undertaken.

Up to 1m species are at risk of annihilation, many within decades, according to a leaked draft of the global assessment report, which has been compiled over three years by the UN’s leading research body on nature.

The 1,800-page study will show people living today, as well as wildlife and future generations, are at risk unless urgent action is taken to reverse the loss of plants, insects and other creatures on which humanity depends for food, pollination, clean water and a stable climate.

The final wording of the summary for policymakers is being finalised in Paris by a gathering of experts and government representatives before the launch on Monday, but the overall message is already clear, according to Robert Watson, the chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

“There is no question we are losing biodiversity at a truly unsustainable rate that will affect human wellbeing both for current and future generations,” he said. “We are in trouble if we don’t act, but there are a range of actions that can be taken to protect nature and meet human goals for health and development.”

The authors hope the first global assessment of biodiversity in almost 15 years will push the nature crisis into the global spotlight in the same way climate breakdown has surged up the political agenda since the 1.5C reportlast year by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Like its predecessor, the report is a compilation of reams of academic studies, in this case on subjects ranging from ocean plankton and subterranean bacteria to honey bees and Amazonian botany. Following previous findings on the decimation of wildlife, the overview of the state of the world’s nature is expected to provide evidence that the world is facing a sixth wave of extinction. Unlike the past five, this one is human-driven.

Mike Barrett, WWF’s executive director of conservation and science, said: “All of our ecosystems are in trouble. This is the most comprehensive report on the state of the environment. It irrefutably confirms that nature is in steep decline.”

Barrett said this posed an environmental emergency for humanity, which is threatened by a triple challenge of climate, nature and food production. “There is no time to despair,” he said. “We should be hopeful that we have a window of opportunity to do something about it over these two years.”

That is when China will host the UN framework convention on biodiversity gathering in Kunming, which will establish new 20-year targets to replace those agreed in Aichi, Japan, in 2010. Soon after, the UN framework convention on climate change will revise Paris agreement commitments at a meeting in either the UK, Italy, Belgium or Turkey.

Watson, a British professor who has headed both of the UN’s leading scientific panels, said the forthcoming report will delve more deeply than anything before into the causes of nature collapse, chief among which is the conversion of forests, wetlands and other wild landscapes into ploughed fields, dam reservoirs and concrete cities. Three-quarters of the world’s land surface has been severely altered, according to the leaked draft. Humanity is also decimating the living systems on which we depend by emitting carbon dioxide and spreading invasive species.

Watson said the authors have learned from attribution science, which has transformed the debate on the climate crisis by showing how much more likely hurricanes, droughts and floods have become as a result of global heating.

The goal is to persuade an audience beyond the usual green NGOs and government departments. “We need to appeal not just to environment ministers, but to those in charge of agriculture, transport and energy because they are the ones responsible for the drivers of biodiversity loss,” he said.

A focus will be to move away from protection of individual species and areas, and to look at systemic drivers of change, including consumption and trade.

The political environment is changing in some countries due to overwhelming scientific evidence and increasing public concern about the twin crises of nature and climate, which have prompted more than 1 million students to strike from school and led to street protests by Extinction Rebellion activists in more than a dozen countries.

The UK parliament declared a climate emergency this week and the government’s chief climate advisory body recommended an accelerated plan to cut carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Until now, however, the nature crisis has been treated as far less of a priority. “Where are the headlines? Where are the emergency meetings?” asked the school strike founder, Greta Thunberg, in a recent tweet on the subject.

Extinction Rebellion activists said protests that blocked several London streets last month were as much aimed at the defence of nature as stabilising the climate. “They are two sides of the same destructive coin,” said Farhana Yamin, a coordinator of the movement who is also an environmental lawyer and formerly a lead author of the IPCC report.

“The work of IPBES is as crucial as the work done by the IPCC on the 1.5-degree report. That is why Extinction Rebellion is demanding an end [to] biodiversity loss and a net-zero phaseout by 2025. We can’t save humanity by only tackling climate change or only caring about biodiversity.”

How can Local Communities help Pollinators?

Communities_Cover Local communities can lead the way in creating an Ireland where pollinators can thrive. To find out how to make your community pollinator friendly, download our publication: Local Communities: actions to help pollinators

Suitable for: TIDY TOWNS, Keep Northern Ireland beautiful, local wildlife groups, historic graveyard groups, college campuses, etc.

Features of our Local Community Guidelines:

Range of 24 low/no-cost pollinator-friendly actions provided to suit all local communities
Pollinator-friendly planting lists
Important advice for purchasing wildflower seed mixes for pollinators
Information about our pollinators, why they are declining and what they need to survive

Have you taken any pollinator friendly actions in your local community? If so, log them on our online mapping system, Actions for Pollinators, to help track the build-up of food and shelter in our landscape.

Instructions on how to use this mapping system: Tutorial on Actions for Pollinators: Community groups

How Councils can support the Pollinator Plan

Councils can play a leading role in making the island of Ireland a place where pollinators can survive and thrive. To help, we’ve produced these guidelines: Councils: actions to help pollinators

We understand that each Council is different, so there are a range of 30 pollinator-friendly actions to choose from. There are instructions for each action, suggestions for where it might be applied, what staff could assist, and a pollinator-friendly planting code.

Suitable for: ROI: County and City Council staff. NI: Borough, District and City Councils.

The Local Authority TidyTowns Pollinator Award

In 2016, when the Local Authority Heritage Officer and Biodiversity Officer Network offered to establish and fund the special Pollinator Award in the national Tidy Towns competition, the team behind the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan were delighted to support this new way to create awareness of pollinators and increase pollinator-friendly habitats right across the country.

There has been an amazing reaction to this special award and reading about all the achievements and actions taken for pollinators in towns and villages across the country is truly inspirational.

A total of 140 towns and villages have entered the Pollinator Award competition since 2016, comprising wonderful projects, each improving and creating much-needed habitats for biodiversity and pollinating insects.

Since then, the entries have improved year on year. We would like to thank you sincerely for all you are doing locally to help create a more pollinator-friendly Ireland, and wish you every success in 2019!

– the Pollinator Plan team

To learn more about some of the wonderful work being carried out by TidyTowns groups around the country, please see our newsletter from the 2018 competition: TidyTowns Local Authority Pollinator Award 2018 newsletter

To learn about entries and winners in the past three years of the award, please click on the appropriate tab to the left of this page: 2016, 2017, 2018.

Download our top 10 tips on how to improve your entry for the Pollinator award: Tips on entering Tidy Towns Pollinator Award

Local Authority Pollinator Award Prize Fund: €9000

Overall Winner €1000

Regional Winner Small Town/Village: 4 winners receive €1000 each.

Regional Winner Large Town/Urban centre: 4 winners receive €1000 each.

France Becomes The First Country To Ban All Five Pesticides Linked To Bee Deaths

In May 2018 the EU banned three of the significant pesticides implicated in the collapse of bee populations. Clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam are now prohibited for use on crops.

However France has gone a step further and set the high bar in the effort to save the bees. Given the importance of pollinators to nature and the survival of the biosphere, this could not happen too soon!

Studies have reported that the neonicotinoid pesticides attack the central nervous system of insects, leading to loss of memory and homing skills, in addition to reduced fertility. Bees that cannot find their way back to the hive quickly die. However the pesticides have also been shown to affect butterflies, birds and other pollinating insects.

There is a reason why France is ahead of the field in this regard: The “bee killing” pesticides were tested first on French fields in the 1990’s – and the French farmers witnessed first-hand the catastrophic effects that occurred in 1994; describing “a carpet of dead bees”. 400,000 bee colonies died within days – yet the story was buried under a layer of corruption and distorted science.

Since that time, activists and manufacturers have battled to control the situation. We covered this story in full in a previous post: Overwhelming Evidence Linking Neonicotinoid Insecticides To Massive Die-off Of Bees And Songbirds

The new move is certain to be celebrated by ecologists and sets an example of protection of nature that the rest of the world needs to follow.

NEWSLETTER: APRIL 2019

1. To do this month: Let Dandelions flower

Dandelions are a vital food source of pollen and nectar for bees and other insects when they emerge from hibernation. Let them flower if you can. This is the Grey Mining bee collecting pollen.

2. To spot this month: keep an eye out for the Tawny Mining bee

Extinct for 87 years in Ireland – before it reappeared in 2012 in counties Wicklow and Kilkenny. On 28th March 2019 it was spotted for the first time in Dublin City! Can you help find new populations?
pollinators.ie/record-pollinators/help-find-the-tawny-mining-bee/

3. Councils are formalising their support

A new 2019 Framework allows Local Authorities to become AIPP partners. In doing so they agree to support the Plan ethos and take dedicated actions. So far these Councils have followed Kilkenny’s lead (photo) and signed up: Dublin City; Dún Laoghaoire Rathdown; Fingal; Limerick; Lisburn & Castlereagh.
pollinators.ie/councils/

4. Tidy Towns 2019 pollinator award

2018 newsletter released showing the amazing actions by Tidy Towns groups for pollinators. Clonmel won the award last year – who will take the title in 2019?
www.pollinators.ie/app/uploads/2019/03/TidyTowns-Local-Authority-Pollinator-Award-2018-newsletter.pdf

5. Number of business supporters reaches 115

AIPP business supporters agree to take one pollinator-friendly action in the first year and another two by 2020. We are only 5 away from doubling our original target of 60 business supporters by 2020! Photo shows a native meadow at O’Donnell Furniture Makers.

pollinators.ie/businesses/

These educational videos have been produced In association with The Community Foundation of Ireland, SECAD, WildWork and Ballincollig Tidy Towns as part of our Biodiversity Action Plan.

SWEET TALKING

Beekeeper Shane Lehane created quite a buzz with his lecture entitled ‘Bees Are More Than Honey’. This took place in the Regional Park Ballincollig as part of Heritage Week 2021. His talk on bees was both informative and interesting and was enjoyed by a great number of people who attended.

If you missed out on this or if you would like to hear it again, press the following link https://vimeo.com/591256293

The link is also posted on our Website’s Biodiversity Page.

For the best experience, get the Vimeo app:Android – https://bit.ly/vimeo_androidiOS – https://bit.ly/vimeo_ios

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

JULY POLLINATOR PLAN NEWSLETTER

JUNE POLLINATOR PLAN NEWSLETTER

MAY POLLINATOR PLAN NEWSLETTER

Newsletter

Register Now!

Spring has arrived, and with it the National Biodiversity Data Centre is pleased to bring you its Spring Summer 2020 Workshop Programme.

Booking a place at a workshop

New animation released!“Mapping Ireland’s biodiversity“

Ireland’s Buzzing:International Conference on Pollinator Conservation

Half a million species recorded milestone!

Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal

Biodiversity Maps

October Pollinator Plan Newsletter

Newsletter

Dragonfly Dash & Butterfly Bash

National Heritage Week Recording Challenges

Filling the gaps for Butterflies

Dragonfly recorder survey

Identification swatch giveaway

New recording scheme launched!

Flower Insect Timed (FIT) Count

Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal

Biodiversity Maps

From late summer into autumn it is very important that pollinators still have a source of food. Many will need to fatten up before going into hibernation in the autumn. Garden plants like Lavender, Aster (photo) and Rudbeckia are great sources of pollen and nectar.

Our forward planning, choosing and planting of the correct pollinator plants this year is really paying dividends. A lovely selection of butterflies have been seen over the summer and bees are very plentiful.

In the last number of weeks we have been advised that about 8 swarms of bees had arrived in Ballincollig and had to be relocated. In all the years we have never heard of this number of swarms.

Well done to everyone who took the time to add to the Pollinator Corridor and/or chose the appropriate plants for their garden. It has made a huge difference.

A second group of scouts wanted to do something different so they got two barrels and painted them and gave us both Male and Female Floral Displays. The two barrels are positioned on either side of the Bug Hotel and the plants attract the bees to the area.

How can Local Communities help Pollinators?

Features of our Local Community Guidelines:

How Councils can support the Pollinator Plan

TidyTowns Pollinator Award

France Becomes The First Country To Ban All Five Pesticides Linked To Bee Deaths

For the best experience, get the Vimeo app:
Android – https://bit.ly/vimeo_android
iOS – https://bit.ly/vimeo_ios

New animation released!
“Mapping Ireland’s biodiversity“

Ireland’s Buzzing:
International Conference on Pollinator Conservation