Conservation-minded gardeners may find this of interest and relevance:
"Today, [15th] the Bumblebee Conservation Trust has published a new evidence-based position statement on the impacts that pesticides can have on bumblebees. We have set out five key recommendations to help policy makers, local authorities, businesses and individuals reduce the negative impacts that pesticides can have on bumblebees and other non-target animals. In most situations this means not using pesticides at all."

Bumblebee Conservation Trust - New pesticide position statement
https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/new-pesticide-position-statement/

Roger

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In the midst of the cold winter months, here's a project I've been working on through this year. I grew an apricot tree from seed back in the spring, and this is the progress of it's growth through the summer, to it's last leaves of autumn:

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That's impressive Scott. Was that simply from a stone you pulled from a fruit, or a specially horticulturally prepared one?
Quite like to have a try at that myself.

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That's impressive Scott. Was that simply from a stone you pulled from a fruit, or a specially horticulturally prepared one?
Quite like to have a try at that myself.

Appreciate it Bertie! Yes it was. There's a bit of prep work that goes into making a stone germinate though. You have to break the outer shell to get to the seed inside, wrap it in kitchen roll (or something similar) and leave it in the cold for a few weeks to simulate the winter. Only then will it sprout. There's a few YouTube tutorials out there that explain it a lot better than I could! 😄

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Daffodils have shot up over the last few days, many on the south-facing bank opposite my house (in Chichester) now 10-15cm high with well formed buds albeit still green

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As gardeners know the importance of bees this review may be of interest, David. Enjoy.

Bees’ minds show remarkable depth and richness
https://www.zmescience.com/reviews/books/buzzworthy-bees-minds-show-remarkable-depth-and-richness/ 

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As gardeners know the importance of bees this review may be of interest, David. Enjoy.

Bees’ minds show remarkable depth and richness
https://www.zmescience.com/reviews/books/buzzworthy-bees-minds-show-remarkable-depth-and-richness/ 

And they can also help break into vaults.
From using bees to hack a gait identification system to breaking open a water main with radioactive explosives, these bandits will go to great lengths to line their pockets with $7 billion — even if it means putting their lives on the line.
https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/kaleidoscope-vault-explainer-behind-the-scenes 
Nick


 

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I expect you've seen this, Roger, but if not ...

US approves world’s first vaccine for declining honey bees
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64180181 

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I expect you've seen this, Roger, but if not ...

US approves world’s first vaccine for declining honey bees
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64180181 

Thanks for that thought, David. I'd not spotted that and have read it with interest.

As a general point, some of the bee health issues are related to quality of "husbandry". Large scale operations can lead to large scale problems, as these bee farmers, though often very skilled, have to cut corners in terms of everyday husbandry and expect to lose a proportion of colonies as a result. A health problem in an apiary of 8 hives is a very different matter compared to a beekeeper with hundreds of hives. There are issues with medication, such as antibiotics, and the familiar concerns about impacts of agrochemicals.

Roger [YHM BTW]

e.g.
Antibiotics in hives and their effects on honey bee physiology and behavioral development
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7710009/ 

 

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More on bees. A thought-provoking review. Enjoy.
Buzzworthy: bees’ minds show remarkable depth and richness
https://www.zmescience.com/reviews/books/buzzworthy-bees-minds-show-remarkable-depth-and-richness/ 

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Daffodils in yellow bud and about to open here; just in time for a Beasterly

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More evolution than gardening - but interesting. [You must have burying beetles in your compost heap.] No obvious alternative thread - do we need one? R.
Animals that care for young may have more mutations and evolve faster
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356853-animals-that-care-for-young-may-have-more-mutations-and-evolve-faster/ 
 

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 At last mature February is here- and the snowdrops are in full splendour. My hundreds of crocuses that have graced the north lawn for years seem to have entirely given up the ghost.
Mini daffs blooming, a single primrose and the 'elephant' garlic shoots are up.

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First proper gardening day for me. I've mowed and edge trimmed the grass, started some chilli and cherry tomato plants in seed trays, re-potted a Canadian spruce from Tesco and tidied up a bit. Always love the re-awakening feel you get in early spring.

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My ceanothus is out - but where are the bees? They're usually all over it, so I hope it's just a matter of time before a scout bee spots it.

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Last night in the damp and wet after a rainy day I went out on my first slug and snail pogrom of the season.
I've been growing some prize hostas in containers for the last few years and after a bad mollusc attack I try to be especially proactive at the time the new leaves are unfurling. 
Last night was the first time it felt like proper growing weather, so as soon as it was getting dark I was outside with a headlamp collecting the offending molluscs. 

This year I'm also going to try spreading a line of Vaseline covered in a layer of salt around the tops of the pots to deter the creatures from reaching the foliage. 

 

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A week's gone by, the ceanothus could scarcely have more flowers, and today there was one solitary bumble bee. In previous years the honey bees were all over it.

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It's a year with what I call good growing weather. Something I've missed for several years. Not everyone's happy though.
I've a wisteria coming into flower which has a striking array of blooms this year. I guess the dry conditions  last summer contributed to this florabundance.

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My ceanothus is out - but where are the bees? They're usually all over it, so I hope it's just a matter of time before a scout bee spots it.

Not just the honey bees; I have an excellent display of foxgloves this year but where are the bumbles?

OTOH I'm told that the mining bees at West Dean Gardens are doing well after some suitable habitats were provided for them.

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Related posts in the Environment thread, David, relating to weather and insects. Feel free to move them across.
BTW - I replied to your PM - thanks - did to see it?
Roger

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