Hot news from Crossness Nature Reserve Site manager Karen Sutton, who reports that the rare ‘poster species’ of ‘Thames Gateway’/brownfield sites, the Shrill Carder bee, has once again been found at the site.
This is why every opportunity should be taken to re-build the much diminished Erith Marshes as former industrial land becomes vacant, and to otherwise insist on brown roofs on local new-build – which Bexley Council has thus far failed to do. Karen ran a bumblebee identification day on Saturday July 26th for Thames Water Staff and Friends of Crossness members. There were 12 attendees and the event was hosted by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
Richard Compton from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust led the event, which started by Southmere Lake. (Photo: Mike Robinson)
Karen said ‘We had an indoor session looking at bumblebee ecology and identification held at The Link Thamesmead, followed by a walk around Southmere Lake, Crossness Southern Marsh and Crossness Nature Reserve. We recorded 8 species of bumblebee including a rare Shrill Carder bee next to the bird-hide and 2 Brown-banded Carders in and just outside the West Paddock.
Attendees looking for bees in the West Paddock. (Photo: Mike Robinson)
