BBC Radio 4 had a good book of the week about Bumble Bees, ” A sting in the tale ” by Dave Gaulson. Starting 7th May. On 10th Dave pointed out that many garden bedding plants have been bred for larger flowers but unfortunately produce less nectar. Flowers that have been bred to produce double blooms make it difficult for the bumble bees to get to the nectar. Dave pointed out that a century ago there was a far more diverse flora on farmland. Nectar plants for bees have been greatly reduced by a combination of agri herbicides, ploughing wildflower meadows & reseeding with rye grass, fertilising resulting in lush grass blocking out wildflowers, far higher area of grain etc

What if the governments of the world made a rule that there must be a 5 metre band of wildflowers round every field, would that make a big difference or would it need to be a 12 metre band ?

Dave was appealing to people who have a garden to grow plants which are good nectar source