National Biodiversity Data Centre的动态

?? Pollinator of the week: Box-headed Blood Bee ?? Plant of the week: Devil's-bit Scabious ? Action of the week: Now is the best time to mow a long-flowering meadow Meadows are crucial habitats for pollinators, filled with a rich blend of native wildflowers and beneficial grasses. If you manage a long-flowering meadow (a grassy area that is cut once a year), now is the time to mow. By now, the wildflower seeds in your meadow will have dropped and returned to the soil. It is vital that the grass is removed. Flower-rich meadows will only develop on sites with low soil fertility. Removing grass cuttings each autumn allows the soil fertility to slowly decrease. This gives flowers a chance to compete with the more dominant grasses. The less fertile the soil, the more flower-rich your meadow will be. Cutting later than September is fine, but the weather may make things more difficult (it is easier to cut when the ground isn’t too wet). Better weather also gives the cut grass a chance to dry – it’s much easier to lift dry grass.? Small areas where grass growth is not very thick can be cut with a scythe or strimmer. In gardens, most lawn mowers can cope with small areas of longer grass. Initially set the blades at their highest setting and then do a second cut at a lower height. Larger areas may require specialised equipment, or an arrangement with a local farmer to cut and bale the grass. A mix of grass lengths is the ideal way to support biodiversity. Consider leaving some areas totally uncut for overwintering insects and mammals to nest. Learn more about managing meadows in local communities & gardens here ? https://lnkd.in/exbqvy3m Find out more about pollinators in September here ? https://lnkd.in/e92B48-T

Pollinator Week 2024 is here! Pollinator Week is an annual event celebrated globally to highlight the importance of bees, butterflies, birds, bats, and other pollinators. These incredible creatures are essential for the reproduction of over 75% of flowering plants and nearly 75% of crops worldwide. Without them, our food supply and ecosystems would be in jeopardy. Here's how you can get involved and make a difference: ? Plant a Pollinator-Friendly Garden: Create a haven for pollinators by planting native flowers, herbs, and shrubs. Choose a variety of plants that bloom at different times of the year to provide a continuous food source. ? Avoid Pesticides: Reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides in your garden. Opt for natural alternatives and integrated pest management techniques. ? Provide Water Sources: Pollinators need water just like we do. Place shallow dishes of water with stones for them to rest on in your garden. ? Spread the Word: Educate your friends and family about the importance of pollinators. Share information on social media using the hashtag #PollinatorWeek2024 . ? Support Local Beekeepers and Farmers: Purchase honey and produce from local sources to support those who are working to sustain healthy pollinator populations. ? Participate in Local Events: Join workshops, garden tours, and community events dedicated to Pollinator Week. Check out Pollinator Partnership for events near you. Together, we can make a significant impact on the health and sustainability of our pollinator populations. Let's come together this Pollinator Week to celebrate, learn, and take action! For more information and resources, visit https://lnkd.in/eJuzABfv. Happy Pollinator Week! #PollinatorWeek2024

Fantastic article ?? It successfully highlights: ?? Planting indigenous plants is king. Nothing is better for native bees than the flowering plants which they have consumed for millions of years, especially for oligoleges (specialist pollinators that collects pollen from only a single genus or family of flowering plants). ?? Check out https://lnkd.in/g7VxsnVf for a pollinator friendly planting guide based on your postcode! 2000+ Native bees? Native bees in Australia are incredibly diverse, another thing we have over the Kiwis whom only host 28 species! ???? Buzz Pollination. Some native plants - like Dianella or Hibbertia, rely on buzz pollination (sonification) to reproduce. Buzz pollination is only possible of being carried out by a number of native bees - like blue banded bees. ???? Put down the poison. Stop using pesticides/insecticides in your garden, embrace all kinds of insects and instead focus on having a range of plants which can support a much larger balanced ecosystem where those pesky caterpillars and aphids are getting picked off by parasitic wasps and lady bugs rather than fumigated. ?? I've put together this sort of information and a bunch more on bee hotels on my updated website - https://lnkd.in/gF8W-zgp

"Pollinators need you. You need pollinators." - Pollinator Partnership Let's celebrate the amazing bees that keep our planet blooming and our plates full. Here are some quick tips to create a bee friendly environment: 1. Plant Variety: Choose diverse, native, colorful flowers. 2. Avoid Pesticides: Use natural pest control methods. 3. Provide Water: Set up shallow water dishes with stones. 4. Nesting Sites: Install bee hotels and leave bare soil patches. 5. Herbs & Veggies: Grow bee-friendly herbs and vegetables. 6. Less Lawn: Convert parts of your lawn to wildflower meadows. 7. Support Locals: Buy honey from local beekeepers. 8. Educate: Spread the word about the importance of bees. 9. Plant Trees: Add flowering trees and shrubs. 10. Create Safe Zones: Designate undisturbed areas for bees. Happy World Bee Day! Interested in Bee Friendly Farming? Contact us today! #BeeAppreciation #PollinatorHeroes #PollinatorPartnership #BeeFriendlyFarming https://lnkd.in/eXX8PiQ

No Mow May & World Bee Day 20th?May 2024 ? We’ve lost approximately 97% of flower-rich meadows since the 1930’s and with them gone we’ve lost vital food needed by pollinators, like bees and butterflies. But your lawn can help! A healthy lawn with some long grass and wildflowers benefits wildlife, tackles pollution and can even lock away carbon below ground. With over 20 million gardens in the UK, even the smallest grassy patches add up to a significant proportion of our land which, if managed properly, can deliver enormous gains for nature, communities and the climate. ? This is why Plantlife calls for people to get involved with #NoMowMay every year, and let wild plants get a head start on the summer.?Best of all, to reap these benefits, all you have to do is not mow your lawn in May. ? Unsurprisingly The British Beekeepers' Association supports No Mow May, with World Bee Day taking place on 20th?of May 2024.?There is no way to overstate the importance of bees. ? Could you imagine walking into your supermarket and not seeing the shelves lined with food? There would be few fresh fruits or vegetables. There would be no products containing honey, almonds, coffee, and chocolate! Even milk and beef would be in short supply. That’s right — pollinators like bees are responsible for plants that feed cattle — like alfalfa.? Pollinators are responsible for an extensive amount of the foods that we consume. Pollinators (including moths, flies, beetles, birds, bats and more) are also?part of maintaining the lungs of our planet. Pollinators help the growth of many trees as well as other plants! They are truly a keystone species – a vital part of many ecosystems. ? So,?how can we become more bee friendly? Here are a few easy ways you can help?#BeeTheSolution; ? Plant a Bee Garden – grow bee-friendly plants, gardens can be established in window boxes, flower pots, and mixed into vegetable gardens. Seek out locally native plants as often as possible, as many bee species have coevolved to feed exclusively on native flowers and need them to survive. Create a Bee Bath – Bees work up quite a thirst foraging and collecting nectar. Fill a shallow bird bath or bowl with clean water, and arrange pebbles and stones inside so that they break the water’s surface. Bees will land on the stones and pebbles to take a long, refreshing drink. Protect Ground Nesting Bees – 70% of the world’s 20,000 bees — including bumblebees — live underground. There, they build nests and house their young, who overwinter and emerge each spring. Support Local Beekeepers – The easiest way to show your appreciation is to buy locally-made honey and beeswax products. Many beekeepers use products from their hives to create soaps, lotions, and beeswax candles. Plus, local honey is not only delicious — it is made from local flora and may help with seasonal allergies! Teach Tomorrow’s Bee Stewards – Inspire the next generation - get them buzzed about bees!

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS BEE HOUSE? The Internet is brimming with killer bee houses. They may be cute, rustic, or modern; but they are still killers. Some are painted or stained with toxic or high-VOC finishes. The first being quite literally a killer: The second may discourage nesting. But that’s just scratching the surface. You will often find these houses filled with bamboo nesting tubes glued in place or pieces of wood with drilled holes. Bamboo is next to impossible to split open for harvesting, and you could never harvest drilled wood blocks. HARVEST? Harvesting is essential to successful beekeeping and directly affects the well-being of any bees in the area. The first year after you’ve installed your “killer” bee house you may enjoy success. But what happens when you fail to harvest and protect your bee cocoons? Pests and diseases claim squatter’s rights to your bee sanctuary. They lay eggs inside your bee tubes and even in the cocoons. Their young emerge to feed on your precious bees and introduce diseases and fungi. Surviving bees carry those diseases and fungi from flower to flower. Bees raised naturally or in well-maintained bee houses now drag these same issues back to their once-clean nests. By the third year, these adorable bee houses have become bee cemeteries. Creating backyard solitary bee habitats is an important means of increasing bees' numbers, but doing it incorrectly can further reduce an already struggling population. Nearly one-quarter of North America's bee population is approaching extinction. Bees are responsible for one in three bites of the food we put in our mouths. (Kopek, K., & Burd, L. A. (2017, February 1). Pollination in Peril, A systematic status review of North American and Hawaiian native bees. Pollinators in Peril. Retrieved October 1, 2024, https://lnkd.in/gRSzV-b3) BUT THEY AREN’T HARVESTED IN NATURE . . .! Most solitary bees nest in the ground, while others nest in hollow stems and holes in dead trees. After nesting season, the stems weather and die away so they are unavailable for reuse. The sporadically spaced holes in tree stumps contrast starkly to the veritable buffet provided by closely spaced nesting holes in a backyard bee house. So please do create backyard bee habitats—both through natural means and solitary bee houses. Raising bees is like gardening. It is rewarding but requires knowledge and commitment.

???? Want a garden buzzing with life? Pollinator populations are declining due to urbanization, habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. However, there are simple ways you can create a thriving pollinator haven in your backyard. Combining my passion for climate change communication with my love of gardening, I wrote my latest blog post to explore how you can make a difference. Learn how to encourage pollinator biodiversity by selecting native plants to attract bees, butterflies, birds, and more. I'll guide you on prolonging your garden's flowering seasons and choosing the right plants. ???? https://lnkd.in/eVtDMpNQ #Gardening #Pollinators #ClimateChange #Sustainability #NativePlants #EcoFriendly #Biodiversity

Fall is a great time to plant native perennials. Why specifically native plants? I'm so glad you asked! First, they support ecosystems. Non-native plants may support a couple species, but overall, native pollinators and songbirds don't even recognize non-native plants as food. There are probably HUNDREDS! of native pollinator species unique to your area, and they all rely on native plants. Second, native perennials help us create resilience to climate impacts. They're evolved to thrive in your location so they need practically no inputs. If your area is prone to drought, they're adapted to tolerate it. Plus, most native perennials have incredibly deep root systems. That's what enables them to stay hydrated during a drought, but it also enables them to pull down massive amounts of water deep into the soil to avoid floods. Roots are what absorb water AND carbon dioxide, and turf grass roots are only 2" deep. Native plant's deep root systems draw down many times more water and carbon than grass. Plus, they're pretty! ?? Read more ?? And if you need help knowing where to start, I'd love to help! #nativeplants #fallplanting #perennials #climatesmartgardening #sustainability #ecosystems https://lnkd.in/g4TjYwrQ

Habitat, prairie, and native landscapes need care. Natural Community Services can help you with Here are a few management tasks we recommend as your planting establishes: If you have a buffer strip of turf grass, be sure to mow it away from your planting to discourage it from moving back into your meadow. If you have weeds?(and you most probably will)?it is especially critical in the first year of establishment to cut the entire planting to 4-6 inches each time it gets to 10-12 inches high. Depending on the size of your planting this may be done with a brush-hog, mower, weed whip or clippers. A timely cutting takes place prior to the plant flowering and setting seed. This cutting will go far to eliminate annual weeds and at least keep biennial and perennial weeds at bay by preventing them from going to seed. You may need to spend some time each season either hand pulling or spot herbicide treating the more aggressive and persistent perennial weeds. This should be done with caution to avoid disturbing the desirable native plants. As your planting establishes learn to identify the good native plants as well as the problematic weeds. Research in books, online and plant ID apps can be very helpful. The more you get to know what is growing the better you can determine what attention if any your planting needs. Wildflower seedings have been described as "No Maintenance", but this is not the case at all. Management is critical, necessary and key to assuring that your native seeding will be healthy, sustainable, beautiful and providing precious wildlife habitat for many years to come.

Wondering how you can help bees, butterflies and flower flies this #PollinatorWeek? Check out these 5 tips for starting a pollinator garden or making your current garden more pollinator-friendly. ??????