Environmental Issues for August

Topics: Environment / Climate

Sources: All-Ireland Pollinator Plan

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Environmental Issues for August

Newsletter: August 2024

The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is a framework bringing together different sectors across the island of Ireland to create a landscape where pollinators can survive and thrive. Its implementation is coordinated by the National Biodiversity Data Centre.

To spot this month: can you find more populations of this rare hoverfly?

The Hornet Plumehorn (Volucella zonaria) established in Britain in the 1940s. It was recorded for the first time in Ireland in July 2023 at Churchtown in Co Wexford.

It is a very large hoverfly and can be recognised by it’s yellow and black banded abdomen, where the upper band is chestnut in colour. If you think you have spotted it, please take a photograph, and send to us for confirmation. In Britain, Volucella zonaria occurs in a range of habitats, but can be especially frequent in suburban settings with good populations of Common and German Wasps. The larvae develop as scavengers and larval predators in social wasp nests. In Britain, it occurs from May to November, but peaks in August. Photo: David McAdams.

Guide to hoverflies in the genus Volucella (pdf)

Submit your hoverfly sightings

To do this month: Check if your bee hotel is being used. If not, consider moving it to a new location

Now is the perfect time to check if your bee box has been used this year. These boxes are mainly used by two types of solitary bees - leaf cutter bees and mason bees. Leaf cutter bees cut circular pieces of leaves and use them to line the cells in the nest. The Red Mason bee lines the cells of its nest with mud. Check if any of the cavities in your next box are closed off with pieces of leaf or with mud. If there are all still empty, it hasn’t been used this year.

In that case, it’s worth storing it indoors over winter, and planning to move it to a new location next spring. The more flowers there are around your nest box, the more likely it is to be found and used. Remember, only a very small number of species use bee hotels. Creating areas of bare soil for mining solitary bees, will potentially help much greater numbers of species.

Galway City Wild Bee Festival: 17-18th August

The Wild Bee Festival 2024 will take place in the Knocknacarra Community Centre, Galway, on the 17th and 18th August, in collaboration with Galway City Council. All events are free. Booking is not required, although some will be on a first come, first served basis.

Find out more about the 2024 wild bee festival here

New blog - revival of the Bee Orchid

Irish meadow orchids are specially adapted to attract pollinators like bees, moths and butterflies and are characterized by their intricate and often colourful flowers. The Bee orchid Ophrys apifera, one of Ireland’s rarer meadow orchids which belongs to the Orchidaceae family, typically flourishes in ‘nutrient-poor’, less managed, grassy areas, where competition from other plants, such as grasses is low.

Read this lovely blog from Sarah Kelly, our Agri-business officer, on how this beautiful native orchid has been appearing on business sites across the island as they change their management to become more biodiversity friendly. Photo: John Fogarty

Blog

Don't mow just yet - August seeds feed next year's bees!

Our ‘Don’t Mow, Let it Grow’ meadows are coming towards the end of their cycle for this year. For many of us with longer-flowering meadows, there can be a temptation to mow now as the meadow begins to look dead and less tidy. Hold off if you can! From mid-August many plants will be producing seed, ready to drop into the soil for next year. If you give them a chance to do this, you’ll reap the rewards next year. It’s always good to try to leave the meadows into September before you mow for the year. Note that local authorities, and those with large areas of meadows to manage, may begin cutting earlier for logistic reasons.

Remember, when you do cut - you should remove the cuttings to gradually reduce the soil fertility and give next year’s wildflowers a chance to compete with the more dominant grass species.

Guide: Creating and restoring meadows in local communities and gardens (pdf)

Pollinator, native plant, and action of the week

Every month, we're sharing ideas on how you can support pollinators with evidence-based actions. We'll also be celebrating the connection between native plants and pollinators by shining a spotlight on different species. Each week on social media we will release a pollinator of the week, a native plant of the week, and an action of the week. You can also get the monthly summary on our website.

August: pollinator, native plant and action of the week

Now is a great time to think about collecting some pollinator-friendly wildflower seed locally

Remember, most meadows will develop on their own, if managed properly. However, it is possible to help them along by collecting small amounts of seed from a native meadow near to you. This can be a useful way to boost your own small meadows, patches or strips. Knapweed seed is a good one to begin with. Knapweed typically continues flowering in August-September and provides enormous amounts of nectar for our insects at a time when they really need it.

Based on our blog, Favourite Food for Wild Bees in 2023, Knapweed was the top plant last August. Check out what other plants were important here: https://pollinators.ie/favourite-food-sources-for-wild-bees-in-2023/

See what seed to collect and how to store/plant in this guide (pdf)

Alternatives to herbicides

We want to better share knowledge on the use of herbicide alternatives. If you’ve tried to move away from the use of Glyphosate or other herbicides, we’d be very grateful if you could share your experiences of alternatives using this Survey Monkey form. Huge thanks to all those who have already shared information with us. The survey will remain open until mid-September.

Link to Survey Monkey form

Can you help by carrying out a FIT Count

Flower-Insect Timed Counts (FIT Counts) are an important way that you can help us monitor pollinators. Download the free FIT Count App, watch a 50x50cm patch of flowers for 10 minutes and count how many insects visit. You can carry out a FIT Count anywhere, and on any flower, but where you can, please use one of our 15 target flowers. In August, its especially useful to carry out FIT Counts on Knapweed or Ragwort.

In 2023, 673 validated FIT Counts were submitted by 126 different volunteers. The average number of insects per FIT Count was 9. Why not try one where you are to see how your site compares.

For those interested, the National Biodiversity Data Centre also runs a Garden Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, where you can count the number of butterflies visiting your garden.