Did You Know:
- Bees play a vital role in pollination – which is the transfer of pollen to a stigma, ovule, flower, or plant to allow fertilisation and the production of seeds. They carry pollen from one plant to another, which fertilises plants, and ensures the production of fruits, seeds and new plants so they can survive and grow.
- Plants are dependent on bees for this. Almost three quarters of our plants in Ireland rely on bees, while approximately 75% of global food crop rely on pollinators like bees.
- There are over 100 species of bees in Ireland, 21 honey bees and 78 solitary bees.
- One third of Irish bees are threatened with extinction due to a lack of plant sources for them.
- 42 species have declined by more than 50% since 1980. 30% are threatened with extinction, 6 are critically endangered, 10 are endangered and 14 are vulnerable.
- Ireland has 21 species of bumble bees, of which 4 are endangered and 2 are vulnerable.
What You Can Do:
- Plant wildflower seeds such as cornflour, poppies etc.
- Grow flowers or fruit to provide for them, whether it’s in a garden or planters.
- Join the ‘No Mow May’ campaign by not mowing your garden to ensure there is food for bees in the summer.
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