Page 26 - ALG Issue 2 2018 html

Expert guide to...
Pollinators on Allotments Checklist
Flying insects are under pressure. Bees and other insects are valuable on allotments as pollinators, and they are also good indicators of the ecological health of a site. Research shows that allotments are already hotspots for biodiversity. A few simple do’s and don’ts can increase their value for insects and other wildlife. This in turn will help pollination and productivity.
DO
• Consider planting wildflowers in a fallow area. These can be as a catch crop. The crops can be turned in before they set seed.
• Think about leaving vegetation to stand over the winter in edge areas and corners. This can provide a refuge for overwintering insects.
• Make a bug hotel or drill holes of different diameters in fence posts as nesting sites for solitary bees.
• Provide water for insects and other wildlife. A good way to do that is to leave an upside down bin lid partially full, or with a piece of wood or stone in it. Refresh the water from time to time.
• Minimise your use of pesticides. These can harm desirable aswell as less desirable insects. Encourage ladybirds for biological control of aphids, or use water with or without soap to remove them from shoots.
• The UK’s 25 species of bumblebees are all in decline and many are threatened. They are among the easiest to recognise. See resources at https://www. bumblebeeconservation.org/
• Promote the value of allotments for pollinators. You can contribute your sightings at ISpot https://www.ispotnature. org/
DON’T
• Don’t accidentally burn bees: Look out for ground nesting species such as bumblebees. Move piles of woody material before burning.
• Don’t be too tidy: patches of wild plants on the edge of a site can be a valuable source of year-round nectar and pollen. Goat willow in early spring, ivy in winter; culinary herbs like Rosemary, Thyme and Marjoram in summer, and sunflowers and blown artichokes
in late summer and
autumn.
• Don’t forget about
other pollinators: hoverflies, butterflies, moths and wasps all contribute to pollination of vegetables, fruit and wild plants.
Elizabeth Anderson (Ecologist, Bedfordshire Council) and Grant Smith, Allotment Mentor
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