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Wild insect pollinator conservation

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  • Pollinators & Pollination
    • What are Pollinators?
    • Why Care About Pollinators?
    • Meet the Pollinators
    • Threats to Pollinators
  • How to Help
    • Flower to the People
    • Plants for Pollinators
    • Green Roofs
    • Map Your Pollinator Friendly Area
    • Pollinator Friendly Areas Map
    • Bee Hotels
    • Bug Hotels
    • Pollinator Monitoring
  • Latest News
  • Contact
  • About
  • Resources
    • Downloads
    • Useful Links
    • Recommended Books About Pollinators
    • Recommended Wildlife Gardening Books
wildflower meadow at The Elms, St Mary, Jersey

Get planting now to help early Spring insects

08/11/2017 //  by Barry Wells

Bumblebee queens come out of hibernation as early as February and these are quickly followed by new-generation solitary bees, butterflies and moths. They are are all searching urgently for food at a time when flowering plants are scarce. We can all help them by planting early flowering trees, shrubs and perennials.

Here are our top suggestions for gardens:

Perennials

Crocus (especially purple and blue varieties)

Lungwort (Pulmonaria sp.)

English Bluebell (Hyancinthoides non-scripta)

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari botryoides)

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) – single flowered forms

Bugle (Ajuga reptans)

Carder Bee feeding on Pulmonaria flowers.

Shrubs and trees

Oregon Grape (Mahonia)

Sallow/Pussy Willow (Salix sp.)

Fruit trees (Crab apple, flowering cherry, etc)

Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)

Barberry (Berberis darwinii)

If you have room for a live-in lawn, try sowing Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum) which is loved by all early pollinators and  don’t forget to let the dandelions grow.

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