[NetBehaviour] Fwd: Plummeting insect numbers 'threaten collapse of nature'

[Mez Breeze]

[A quick follow-up: one of the best twitter threads I've read so far on
this topic is here:
https://twitter.com/MezBreezeDesign/status/1097211711717658624]

On Thu, Feb 14, 2019 at 6:32 AM Helen Varley Jamieson <
helen at creative-catalyst.com> wrote:

>
> On 12.02.19 02:22, Mez Breeze via NetBehaviour wrote:
>
>
> but in germany i'm limited to the balcony. i've had an "insect hotel" on
>> it for a couple of years but no insects have shown any interest in it yet.
>>
>
> ...where is the insect hotel placed? Sometimes too much or little sun can
> effect them depending on season?
>
> if anything it gets too little sun; our balcony is east-facing, & the
> insect house is on the wall that doesn't get any direct sunlight. i'll try
> moving it to the other end of the balcony where it gets sun up to early
> afternoon in the summer.
>
>
> You could go for an actual home-made bee attractant like is shown here
> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl0o2aytaFE>, though I've never tried
> it. I'd also be careful where you source your plants/seeds too - heritage
> and local varieties suited [native] to your region/season could help, and
> make sure to always go true organic [as opposed to greenwashed
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwashing> organic] that haven't been
> artificially boosted with all types of chemical crud. And never use
> pesticides/herbicides - use companion planting methods
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_planting> + seaweed/kelp
> solution as tonic + good compost [do you have an in-home composting setup
> <https://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/i-just-started-composting-my-apartment-and-you-can-too.html>
> for your apartment? Homemade is the best, and it stops vegie/fruit scraps
> going to landfill.]
>
> great, i'll try the insect attractant. all seeds are proper organic ones,
> into organic potting soil, & definitely no pesticides or herbicides going
> into the balcony garden, only additives are organic fertilisers & composts.
> the city does composting here, so we add our compost into that (get a
> voucher for free compost in return).
>
>
> And it does sound like you're doing all the right things - I'd suggest
> keeping up planting anything with a blue/purple flowers:
>
> *"According to Bee Culture <http://www.beeculture.com/bees-see-matters/>,
> the most likely colors to attract bees are purple, violet and blue.*
>
> *A study of nine bumblebee colonies in Germany found that those who
> favored purple blooms were greatly rewarded for their preference.*
>
> *“In the area we studied, violet flowers produced the most nectar – far
> more than the next most rewarding flower color (blue),” Dr. Nigel Raine
> from Queen Mary’s School of Biological and Chemical Sciences told
> ScienceDaily
> <https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070624141133.htm>.
> “Inexperienced bees are known to have strong color preferences, so we
> investigated whether the bumblebee colonies with a stronger preference for
> violet flowers foraged more successfully in their local flora.”*
>
> *Raine found that the bumblebees developed their favorite color over time,
> corresponding with the most nectar-rich flowers."* [From:
> https://www.totallandscapecare.com/landscaping-blog/bee-vision-and-the-color-purple/
> ]
>
>> great - we always have lots of cornflowers, & some other purple ones that
> i don't know the name of, plus lavendar. the bees also seem to like
> nasturtiums, which we always have plenty of too. i'll look into more purple
> flowers.
>
> thanks,
>
> h : )
>
> --
>>
>> helen varley jamieson
>>
>> helen at creative-catalyst.com
>> http://www.creative-catalyst.com
>> http://www.upstage.org.nz
>>
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