28/08/2026
Our bumblebees numbers are on the increase, again!
Since we joined the All Ireland Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme with Biodiversity Ireland in 2023, we have seen how much difference our actions, inspired by the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, do make on a practical level. We have counted more bumblebees each year, in new locations.
Like the white tailed bumblebee that we see on the Green, once a month, every month, since March this year.
Like the fifteen, yes, fifteen carder bees that we counted this afternoon on a single catmint plant near Bethany House.
Every square foot of uncut verge or long grass meadow offers food, nesting space and safety from predators; turning flower beds into pollinator strips gives an abundance of nectar a short hop away from a nest; the bee bars provide water when rain dries up; and weeding the length of the village by hand without weedkiller is tough going, but creates a safer environment for them and for us. It's well worth it!
