Bumblebee - J.V. Wilson

From the moment the queen bee first wakes from her winter hibernation, she is looking for a site to build a colony and reproduce. As she flies from flower to flower collecting nectar she takes pollen from one to another, enabling plants to produce seeds. Eventually she finds an old mouse hole where she begins building the wax honey pots which will form the physical colony or hive. And she begins laying eggs, sitting on them to keep them warm - eggs that will grow into worker bees that will help her. The colony attracts the attentions of animals like weasels and badgers, but the worker bees are able to frighten them off. A more troublesome invader is the cuckoo bee who tries to take the colony over from the queen, but the workers recognise her as an imposter and chase her out. Finally, the queen is is ready to lay eggs which will become male drones and queens. Her work is done and in late summer she leaves the colony for the last time. Then in autumn the new queens leave the nest to find places where they can sleep the winter away, as the colony perishes in the winter cold.

Beautifully illustrated, this lyrical story inspires young readers to learn more about these creatures and their extraordinary lives. It includes a glossary and information about protecting bees.





Helping bumblebees



Bumblebees are having a difficult time in many parts of the world. We're not surewhether it's destruction of bees' habitat, pesticides, disease or something else that is affecting them, but whatever it is, bees are disappearing in large numbers. This is a problem because we need bumblebees to pollinate our crops and fruit trees.



One of the best ways to help bees is by planting traditional cottage-garden flowers and wildflowers which are full of nectar and pollen. Here are some flowers, bushes and trees that bees love, listed under the seasons when they flower:





Spring

Apple tree

Bluebell

Cherry tree

Flowering currant


Pear tree

Plum tree

Red dead-nettle

Rosemary

White dead-nettle

Willow trees and shrubs



Early summer

Chives

Forgetmenot

Foxglove

Fuschia

Geranium

Heather

Honeysuckle

Poppy

Raspberry

Sage

Thyme

Veronica

White clover

Wisteria



Late summer

Bramble

Buddleia

Catmint

Cornflower

Hollyhock

Lavender

Marjoram

Mint

Red clover

Snapdragon

Sunflower

Viper's bugloss



Other things you can do to help bees:

Let the grass in your garden grow longer to encourage clover and wild flowers to grow.

Make a woodpile out of logs and dead branches in a shady corner of your garden.

Leave it to rot, so that bees can hibernate there during the winter.

Don't disturb any bees which want to spend the winter in your garden shed.




Visit www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk