May is the best time of year for seeing wasp-like nomad bees. They can be especially common in woods, along hedges, heathland & brownfield sites. A new test key to the 39 British spp has just been released bwars.com/sites/default/…. Feel free to test it out and give me feedback.

Bombus terrestris pollinating the strawberries in the TCES East London garden this afternoon. Also loads of red mason bees and hairy footed flower bees pollinating the apples and currants. Having mason bee boxes close to the trees really helps.

Mmmm the delightful smell of honey, wax and propolis….erm no that’s the smell of decay, wax moth excrement and fermentation 🤮 BBC countryfile. If your hives dies, clean it up to prevent pests and pathogens spreading.

You have to jump through endless hoops & stump up significant funds to “reintroduce” Beavers, a native, protected species behind a Fort Knox fence. A free for all to churn out millions of non native omnivorous birds in our countryside for sport! Go figure! birdguides.com/articles/other…

499 Serapias parviflora orchids on Nomura roof City of London. 14 Green Winged Orchids, 1 Bee Orchid. Many are starting to flower. There is no public access!

I’ve given up trying to mark all the Serapias with flags!

Mike Waller Dr Mark A. Spencer Kew Science GiGL BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland

Sundays bee walk with Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park has been cancelled. Unlike the June and July walks which are well subscribed in advance we had no bookings. The date clashes with London Marathon and local road closures.

We are very excited for our Citizen Science Virtual Symposium with the Biological Recording Company Keiron Derek Brown on the 16th May!

Speakers: Dave Goulson Dr Linda Birkin 🏳️‍🌈 Dr Beth Nicholls Yanet Sepúlveda Ellen Rotheray

More information and booking link here: biologicalrecording.co.uk/2024/02/29/cit…

If you treat your dog or cat or rabbit with a 'spot-on' flea treatment, please read this... & please retweet to spread the word. theconversation.com/pet-flea-and-t…

Lots of bee action yesterday at Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park with Andrena nitida everywhere! Nomada flava, goodeniana and ruficornis looking for nests. Come on my bee walk next Sunday fothcp.org/events/

The unmistakable sound of a virgin queen honey bee piping to announce her arrival to the world