Fat, furry buzzers

To the casual observer in the deckchair there are two kinds of bee, the honey-bee and the bumblebee. The former are busy and the latter are bumbly. This natural history is a little short of reality, since Britain boasts 25 species of bumblee, from the common carder to the gypsy cuckoo (which lays eggs in other species’ nests). There are also more than 240 species of solitary bee, some making those miniature Mount Etnas of sand between paving stones. Bumblebees are good to have around, pollinating crops and flowers. So a £300,000 lottery grant to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust is to be welcomed. Gardeners can do their bit by considering plant alternatives such as early crocuses to late honeysuckle instead of those bee-useless pansies and begonias. Encouraging wildlife gives many gardeners a buzz.