16_gardening_autumn_1col_infosheet

JOINT INITIATIVE: HYMETTUS — BWAR S
Information Sheet 16
June 2010
∗ Colourful plantings ∗ Continuity of forage ∗ Benefits to the gardener ∗ Do your bit for the
conservation of bees
Featuring:
Bees in Autumn
In late summer bumblebee colonies produce males and new queens. Through the autumn they need to find food to survive. After mating and feeding well the new queen searches out a suitable place to hibernate and remains there all through winter. With milder weather there has Suggested Flowers
been an increase in bumblebee queens starting new nests for Autumn and
Some species of solitary bee continue to feed and provi- Verbena (Verbena
sion nests well into the autumn. When completed, the nests are sealed with a plug of mud or leaf mixture. Penstemon
The old queen, workers, males and all the adult solitary Honeysuckle
bees do not live to see the next generation. Ice Plant (Sedum
Food sources
Larkspur
In autumn the number of flowers begins to decrease, but a readyand continuous supply of pollen and nectar are still Cone flower
being sought by bees until late in the year. Suggestions of suitable flowers for this time of year are shown in the list Michaelmas Daisy
Colletes hederae at Ivy flowers Golden rod (Solidago
Careful pruning can increase the length of flowering or even delay the start of flowering till later. Look for gaps in Perennial Sun-
flowering and try to find a plant that wil fill that gap for flower (Helianthus)
the next year. Leave dead stems on plants in the border Red Valerian
over winter as they may provide homes and shelter for Ivy (Hedera helix)
Winter flowering
honeysuckle
Gardeners can help bumblebees by leaving suitable places for hibernation undisturbed, such as a cool, north facing Winter flowering
heathers (Erica)
Winter flowering
Nest sites of solitary bees (in the ground, in borders and Clematis (Clematis
the lawn, and in wood and in plant stems) should be left undisturbed through the winter. It can be useful to mark Mahonia (Mahonia)
the site of spring and summer ground nests as they can easily be forgotten about when forking over soil. Where nests occur in bare ground the area should be kept rela- Late winter is the best time to consider providing new artificial nest sites for next year’s bees. Queen Bombus pratorum on Sedum Hymettus Ltd is the premier source of
BWARS, The Bees Wasps & Ants Recording
advice on the conservation of bees, wasps and Society is the national recording scheme which pro-
vides the only source of fully validated data on the UK bee, wasp & ant fauna. Photos: Louise Hislop, Karen Nichols
& Nico Vereecken

Source: http://hymettus.org.uk/downloads/Info_sheets_2010/16_Gardening_Autumn_1col_infosheet.pdf