The Bees Needs

WATCHING FLOWERS CAN HELP OUR POLLINATORS

As you're no doubt aware, our bees populations are in significant decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change yet they are vital for pollinating both wild plants and crops. Bees' Needs Week, this year taking place between 14th- 20th July 2025, is an annual event run by Defra, working with a range of organisations and charities with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of bees and other pollinators and sharing ideas, actions and activities that highlight the ways in which everyone can help them thrive.

This year why not get involved more practically, literally on your own hands and knees - or sitting in a portable chair if more comfy, by taking part in some invaluable citizen science?

Flower-insect timed (FIT) counts

All you need to do is simply spend 10 minutes watching flowers and insects in warm, dry weather - and not just during this particular week in July, FIT counts can be done anywhere, including gardens and parks, any time from April to September.

You set a timer for ten minutes, and count all insects that land on your target flowers, doing your best to count each individual insect once only! Every single count submitted to the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS) helps them to learn more about where pollinators live and how their numbers are changing - all of which is invaluable data. And spending time outside, watching flowers and insects and listening to the birds shouldn't be bad for you either.

You can read the PoMS instructions for FIT counts and how to take part HERE.