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Bees for Development Journal
75
BOOKSHELF - Available from BfD NOW at www.beesfordevelopment.org
‘Providing Habitat for Native Pollinat
Pollinator Conservation Handbook The Xerces Society and The Bee Works 2003 145 pages A5 soft over 19.70 (€29.55) Code X100 Most flowering plants are pollinated by insects. If pollinator populations are depleted, then many of these plants will produce few seeds, or no seeds. The consequence is that plant populations decline and maybe disappear, and the pollinators decline and disappear too.
This excellent handbook describes how you can help to protect and re-establish populations of pollinators: included here are solitary and social bees, flies and beetles. Chapters cover threats to pollinators, actions to help pollinators, planning habitats, providing forage, nesting and over-wintering sites. Annexes include more ideas for educators and parents, resources and plant lists. Although written primarily for North America, this book will be helpful for farmers, gardeners and environmentalists everywhere. With beautiful colour pictures throughout, this is an extremely useful text.
Field Guide to the Bumblebees of Great Britain and Ireland Mike Edwards and Martin Jenner 2005 108 pages Pocketbook soft cover 11.50
ONSERVATION® 4
HANDBOOK The Xerces Society In Association with The Bee Works.
Field Guide to the
BUMBILEBFES Britain of Great
(€17.25) Code E010
& Ireland
Bumblebees at risk Bombus distinguendus - extinct from England, in excess of 70% decline between 1900
and 1990 Bombus Bombus Bombus Bombus Bombus Bombus Bombus
humilis - in excess of 40% decline between 1900 and 1990 monticolae - in excess of 30% decline between 1900 and 1990 muscorum in excess of 50% decline between 1900 and 1990 ruderarius - in excess of 55% decline between 1900 and 1990 ruderatus - in excess of 75% decline between 1900 and 1990 soroeensis - in excess of 20% decline between 1900 and 1990 sylvarum - in excess of 75% decline between 1900 and 1990
-
(Data from Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society)
14
Teel
This is how the method works: Step one is to look for the presence and number of yellow bands on the bee's thorax. Step two is to cross check with the pattern on the abdomen: using the colour chart allows quick identification of most species. Step three is to confirm identification with the photographs and species accounts given in the text. The new guide has been developed by entomologist Mike Edwards and Martin Jenner who developed the book's strong visuals, that make the three-step identification simple to use. The guide contains over 90 colour photographs of both sexes of all 22 known species. It is hoped that by making bumblebee identification easier, better data will be available to ensure their future protection. The decline of bumblebees in the UK has been measured only for a few, very rare species but it is clear from surveys that even the currently most abundant species have suffered declines of similar proportions. Since the 1970s some species have declined by over 60%.
Benton
Bumblebees are social bees with an important role in pollinating wild and cultivated plants. In the UK there are (or were) 22 species - one has recently been declared extinct. A problem has been the difficulty of identifying the different species, that until now required expert knowledge and the use of a microscope. This excellent new book describes how to identify bumblebees using the new three-step method. This will assist the UK's army of amateur naturalists and professional field workers who have been monitoring decades of decline in Britain's native bumblebees.
