HOMECOMING FOR BRITAIN’S BEST-LOVED INSECT
SEPTEMBER 11th, 2009
Almost a decade after the last short-haired bumblebee flew through Britain’s meadows, ambitious plans are underway to reintroduce the extinct species. Although the short-haired bumblebee officially died out in the UK in 2000 a small community survived in New Zealand after being exported there in the late 19th century to pollinate red clover.
Scientists intend to spend two months capturing queen bees as they emerge from hibernation in Mackenzie Country New Zealand. They propose to rear the queens in captivity in the hope that they produce a second generation of queens, which could then be shipped back to Britain once they enter hibernation. Another team of volunteers is already working with local farmers, landowners and members of the public in Kent to restore the habitat where the bees are to be released in late Spring, early Summer.
If the plan succeeds it will be the first time a species of bee has been reintroduced to a country after the native population has died out.
This entry was posted on Friday, SEPTEMBER 11th, 2009 at 3:28 pm and is filed under ENVIRONMENT. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
