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THOUGHTFUL PLANTING

Planting pollen-rich wildflowers like poppy, marigold and forget-me-not as well as flowering species like wild cherry trees and honeysuckle encourage little visitors to your green spaces. Resist the urge to remove garden weeds such as dandelions which provide vital pollen early in the season.

GO CHEMICAL FREE

Synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers are harmful to bees. Avoid treating your green spaces with these harsh chemicals and instead try organic products and natural solutions like compost to aid soil health - you could even introduce beneficial insects that keep pests away, such as ladybirds.

Rare Bees at Blenheim

In recent years, we have conducted a number of biodiversity studies on the Blenheim Estate. We have discovered the presence of hundreds of different species including over 40 colonies of wild bees. Finding this many colonies in one place is very rare – some of the species were believed to have disappeared from the UK entirely before now. This suggests that the bees are thriving and multiplying in number. We were incredibly lucky, when recently carrying out some studies in the woodland, that a new swarm actually arrived whilst we were there and colonised one of our trees.

The Ecosystem is Everything

We are actively studying the ecosystem using the bees as our focus to understand how to preserve it – not just for them but for all the other pollinators. It is probable that these bees have evolved within their environment, maybe even undergoing some natural genetic adaptations over time that have assisted their survival. The delicate ecosystem within the Estate provides them with perfect natural nesting sites in the ancient oaks and beech trees; these tend to have perfect-sized holes for the bees to enter and coexist with other pollinators, with minimal issues.

Our Hives

Many traditional man-made hives do not actually provide ideal conditions for bees. We are creating hives out of surplus timber from our woodlands, which are more naturally suited to the bees by more closely resembling their natural hive environment. For example, wasps will try to attack honeybee nests, but because our natural wooden hives have smaller holes and entrances, bees can better defend themselves. The hives are placed high up in trees so they are more sheltered and out of the way of many other pests.

Natural Conservation

Natural conservation is incredibly important for the bees. This is for both their survival and for the ongoing benefit of the unique ecosystem that supports so many other rare and fascinating species. We don’t need to feed our wild bees or treat their hives; they live undisturbed, and we are working tirelessly to ensure their habitat is protected and preserved.