Buzzing Bee Safari at The Mere in Ellesmere on Saturday 14 July

Shropshire Council rangers at The Mere in Ellesmere are delighted to be hosting our Buzzing Bee Safari on Saturday 14 July 2018.

We’ll be welcoming the Bumblebee Conservation Trust who will be leading the activity Bee Safari.  You will be accompanying Sue Stewart and Ron Rock on an educational guided walk around the picturesque Mere. You’ll learn about bee-friendly greenspaces and most importantly, about bumblebees.

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust have a mission to halt, then reverse the decline of bees. They’re very passionate about bumblebees and you can help too. The bumblebee conservation offers many different roles for volunteers, providing support and learning opportunities across all ages, including hard to reach groups. These activities benefit bees by working with people who are experiencing social exclusion, though learning disabilities, mental health issues or unemployment. A key part of the trust’s work is training to identify bumblebees and to encourage participation in surveys.

An Ivy Bee: photo by county ecologist Dan Wrench.

Members of Shropshire Council’s outdoor recreation team will also be on hand to talk about The Mere and other countryside sites across Shropshire. We will also be encouraging people to set aside a small patch of their gardens for bees, and will be providing free wildflower seed and instructions on bee-friendly gardening.

Shropshire Council ranger Penny Wellman will be offering face painting in the Warden’s Bungalow, so you can look like a bee too!

In addition to the Bee Safari, The Mere at Ellesmere will offer our usual broad range of attractions including a large play area, boat hire, woodland walks and tree trails, a visit to The Boathouse for lunch maybe, and to operate the remote cameras peering into heron’s nests on Moscow Island.

The family fun event will begin at the Warden’s Bungalow on Saturday 14 July 2018, 11am-4pm. The Bee Safari will be taking place from 12pm-2pm, beginning at the Bee Metropolis. Please call 07458 087305 or email penny.wellman@shropshire.gov.uk for more information.

Note: this event is free and no booking required.