Farming Today

[Anduril]

Interesting article about bees foraging on the roadside and less so on the other side of the hedgerow on farmland due to fertilizer. Study done in Plymouth

 

[itma]

And new research from scientists at Plymouth University shows bumble bees are ending up feeding on flowers by the road side of hedges rather than on the field-side of the boundary. That's because fertilizers used on crops also encourage more grasses and non flowering plants, so bees have little to feed on.

iPlayer etc link http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b055g4f8

 

[Finman]

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Question is, how to produce food to humans. I bet that bumbble bees collide quite much with cars. What to do then?

 

[Russel]

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Question is, how to produce food to humans. I bet that bumbble bees collide quite much with cars. What to do then?

Hi Finman,
Many of our councils are rethinking their cutting and planting policies to be " more pollinator friendly", and should be commended eg: planting main road routes with wild flower beds to attract pollinators.
However when we pointed this out that insects and vehicles don't mix well, we were derided/scorned by several of those in the "know' about such things. Oh well, what do I know I only an amature keeper of bees , they're professional box tickers?