Summer 2024 Irish Bee Conservation Project Newsletter
Building a Home for Bees: The Essential Role of Bee Posts
Bee posts, also known as bee hotels or bee houses, are man-made structures designed to provide nesting sites for solitary bees. The emphasis on solitary bees here is particularly important.
Solitary bees differ from social bees in many of the ways you might expect: instead of constructing elaborate hives to house entire colonies, solitary bees usually congregate in very limited numbers.
These bees play a crucial role in pollination, as they visit flowers to collect pollen and nectar, transferring pollen from one flower to another in the process, thereby aiding in plant reproduction.
One of the main reasons for the diminishing numbers of certain species of Irish bees has been the reduction in foraging and nesting sites throughout the country. In the wild, female solitary bees lay their eggs inside crevices within trees and other hollow fauna. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the pollen until they mature into adult bees.
During 2019 the IBCP began a programme to combat this effect and designed “Bee Lodges” to provide shelter and breeding facilities for many species of Wild Native Irish bees.
These lodges were installed in Fota (Wildlife park, hotel and house), in various suburbs of Cork City including Ballyphehane and on farms in County Waterford. Wild bees are currently occupying these shelters and will propagate to increase the relevant populations. Approximately 210 bee lodges and 350 bee posts have been installed by IBCP since the introduction of the program in 2019.
By providing nesting, bee posts help support populations of these important pollinators. This is particularly crucial in urban and agricultural landscapes where natural nesting sites may be scarce due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Additionally, by encouraging the presence of solitary bees, bee posts enhance pollination services, benefiting both wild plants and agricultural crops.
Overall, bee posts play a vital role in promoting biodiversity, supporting pollinator populations, and enhancing ecosystem resilience. They serve as tangible tools for conservation efforts aimed at protecting and restoring pollinator habitats.
“Conservation of native Irish pollinators for future generations, through education and community action’’
We have a variety of roles available including education, events, marketing, social media and volunteer organisation.
Winner of our 2024 IBCP Children’s drawing competition is Polina
Coming up in 2024
During the second half of this year we hope to further events in the area to spread the message of conservation of our native species and the impact we can all make.
Irish Bee Conservation project will also have further competitions and events planned, please follow the IBCP social media to keep updated on these. Simply scan the QR code below.
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If you wish to further support the Irish Bee Conservation Project, you can donate or become a member by scanning the code below.
