Beneficial insects are essential in keeping our gardens and farms healthy. Some pollinate plants that produce our food. Others eat pests that would otherwise destroy our food crops. They also help break down dead organic material and recycle nutrients back into the soil. We rely on these tiny insects more than we realize, and they are a valuable part of the ecosystem.What … [Read more...] about Beneficial Garden Insects and How to Attract Them to Your Garden
bees
Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland
Bees have always been a source of fascination for me. I remember as a child spending hours in Dad's flower borders watching their busy antics, marvelling at the sights and sounds as they buzzed from one flower to the next. Of course I could see there were lots of different kinds of bee in the garden, but what I didn't have at the time, as a budding young naturalist, was a … [Read more...] about Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland
All Ireland Pollinator Plan good news for bees…. and for people
A new island-wide plan to halt the decline in Ireland's bees and other pollinators was officially launched yesterday by the National Biodiversity Data Centre.Backed by by 68 governmental and non-governmental organisations across the Island of Ireland, the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020 identifies actions we can take on our farmland, public land and private land to … [Read more...] about All Ireland Pollinator Plan good news for bees…. and for people
All abuzz in Limerick City!
Ireland's Wildlife Contributor Albert Nolan gets up close and personal with the bees of Limerick and discovers that the City really is buzzing! I pass quietly through the city streets pausing at every corner to scan the buildings for birds, or peeking into an overgrown garden in the hope of finding a few insects. I adjust my bumblebee net to a … [Read more...] about All abuzz in Limerick City!
Irish Pollinator Initiative: driving bee conservation through better data
Dr. Una Fitzpatrick, Ecologist with the National Biodiversity Data Centre, explains why we need to conserve our pollinators, and how you can help.The staggering value of pollination Pollination services provided by insects, mainly bees, have been valued at €153 billion a year. With 71 out of the 100 crops that provide 90% of food worldwide being pollinated by bees, we … [Read more...] about Irish Pollinator Initiative: driving bee conservation through better data
