World Bee Day: Residents take part in conservation efforts in pledge to protect bees

20 May 2022

It’s World Bee Day and FirstPort staff and residents are helping to raise awareness about the importance of protecting bees.

Some FirstPort developments have been taking part in No Mow May, a national campaign by conservation charity Plantlife, aimed at encouraging people up and down the country to stop mowing gardens and public areas during the month of May.  

The goal is to allow wildflowers to bloom as a way of helping to promote biodiversity and provide plenty of nectar for honeybees.  

While developments will continue to work with on-site gardeners to keep the outdoor areas maintained, it will temporarily pause lawn mowing in some or all areas of the garden to allow for wildlife to thrive.  

Annie, a resident at a development in London, requested her site take on the challenge for the second year in a row.  

Annie explained:

“It is more important than ever that we allow these important plants to provide much-needed food corridors for our vital insects and bees.” 

World Bee Day is globally recognised for drawing attention to the importance of bees on the ecosystem.  

Nathalie Vignolle, an Assistant Development Manager for a large development in Essex, is a part-time beekeeper. She’s passionate about wildlife and subsequently developed a keen interest in beekeeping. 

Nathalie told us:

“Honeybees are facing more than ever some serious challenges such as climate changes, diseases such as varroa mite, predators like killer bees or Asian hornets, as well as insecticides and humans.  

“We now realise that all bees are vitally important to the environment. If humans do not care for them by conserving their habitats and protecting them from the effects of modern living, we will suffer in the long term.  

“My ambition is to have a couple of beehives at work and bring an awareness to our residents.” 

Facts about bees:  

• Honeybees have evolved other 150 million years and are the only insect that produces food eaten by man
• Honeybees have 170 odorant receptors; they can fly for up to six miles and as fast as 15 miles per hours
• The average worker bee produces only about 1/12 teaspoon of honey in her lifetime and can visit 50 to 200 flowers during a collection trip
• One bee must fly around 90,000 miles – that’s three times around the globe – to make one pound of honey
• The honeybees’ brain is oval in shape and only the size of a sesame seed, yet, it has remarkable capacity to learn and remember things and is able to make complex calculation on distance travelled and foraging efficiency.