Field boundaries and bug banks have been promoted as a way to help farmers reduce their reliance on pesticides and insecticides. By providing beneficial plants around – and within – the crops it is hoped that predatory insects like ladybirds … Continue reading
It may have been a good news story for British conservationists with the proposed re-introduction of the short-haired bumblebee to Kent. But there is growing anger in Sweden that their population of the species may be put under risk by the project. … Continue reading
A precious cargo will soon be on the way from Sweden to the UK over the next couple of weeks. At the weekend a team of bee specialists are buzzing of to Sweden to collect 100 queen bees of the … Continue reading
A recent study to be published in June’s edition of Bulletin of Insectology has put the pesticide imidacloprid firmly centre stage as a leading cause of colony collapse disorder. The study shows that even very low levels of the pesticide can … Continue reading
Those of you who signed up for last Spring’s oil beetle hunt run by Buglife can now head over to their website to find out the results. 750 citizen scientists across the UK took part in the survey and submitted … Continue reading
New research just published by a team from Washington State University indicates that commonly used weed-killers that were previously thought to be safe can have damaging impacts on butterfly populations and threaten the survival of the rarest species. The team from the ecotoxicology department … Continue reading
For many of us the Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly was a regular sight on summers days but for today’s youngsters it’s a rare sight. With about two thirds of the butterflies colonies wiped out over the last 25 years a new project in Devon is … Continue reading
A new study published by a team of European researchers have followed the movement of butterflies and birds in relation to a warming European climate. It found that butterflies are responding quicker to the climate than birds – a worrying … Continue reading
Neonicotinoid insecticides are known to have a devastating impact on bees and a new study just published has shown another way in which these chemicals are damaging the worlds pollinators. Neonicotinoid coatings around the seeds are released into the environment at planting time and find their … Continue reading
This year has not seen the best of summers and butterflies appear to have been hit by the poor weather conditions. The results of the UK Big Butterfly Count 2011 indicates there were 11% fewer sightings compared to last year. … Continue reading
Ragwort is a precious British wild flower that is essential for the survival of the cinnabar moth. Ragwort is an essential food plant for the caterpillar and without it this bright red day-flying moth could be under threat. Sadly, for the moth, ragwort is … Continue reading
It’s July and the height of summer. As I look out the window and see the rain pouring down (this is Wales after all) my thoughts turn to the coming autumn and winter. This is a good time to start looking at providing … Continue reading
Honeybees have crashed in numbers since the 1980′s but a recent study indicates that crop productivity is still rising raising the question of ‘who is pollinating all the crops?’. The study shows that we only have a third of the … Continue reading
Earlier this year a team of scientists from the California Academy of Sciences explored the biodiversity of the Philippines. It was one of the most extensive wildlife surveys ever conducted in the country and ranged from mountain tops to under sea … Continue reading
There seems to be lots of bug hunts going on, which is great if you love insects. This latest beetle survey from Buglife is asking you to keep your eyes open for one of Britains rarest beetles, the scarlet malachite. … Continue reading
There’s lots of weird and wonderful life cycles in the natural world but they probably don’t come much stranger than a parasitic fungus in the tropical rain-forest. This beast of a fungus infects ants, destroying their brains before finally forcing … Continue reading
Insects are fantastic creatures to watch and study. They come in such a wide range of shapes and sizes, none more so than the treehoppers or Membracidae. This group of insects have a stunning array of body shapes formed from appendages … Continue reading
Spring is here, the sun has started to come out and as we all head outdoors so the seasonal wildlife surveys head into full swing. The Peoples Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is the latest group asking for the publics … Continue reading
There’s only about a month to go before Buglife’s spring oil beetle hunt begins. Now is a good time to head over to their web site to register and take part in this survey. Once registered they will send you … Continue reading
Life is hard for a bee, it’s not just all work and no play they also have to deal with parasites, habitat loss, intensive agriculture and countless other threats. So it’s good to have friendly bee keepers who look after … Continue reading
