People across the South West of England are being encouraged to look for, and report, sightings of wild honeybee nests this summer for a vital conservation project.
Wild – or ‘free-living’ – honeybees are an important part of honeybee population and sadly endangered on the European continent. However, a recent study showed that the free-living honeybee population in southern England is large and potentially self-sustaining.
In order to understand more about why this is the case, a research team from the University of Plymouth is encouraging people to report sightings of wild honeybee nests across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset.
By finding out more about the bees’ genetics and if and how they adapt to local conditions, scientists can take steps to support the species elsewhere – potentially helping to save their European counterparts.
What do I look for and how can I report?
Wild honeybees are usually in tree cavities and other natural spaces, and sometimes high up.
They differ from managed honeybees – those in hives – as they find and establish home in a place of their own choosing. They are also more active in the summer.
