T: 01492 532938
E: info@welshmountainzoo.org
Old Highway, Colwyn Bay, Conwy,
North Wales, LL28 5UY
The Big World of Little Bees – World Bee Day 2024
- 21st May 2024
- Kaitlyn Jenkins
The Welsh Mountain Zoo – National Zoo of Wales, celebrated World Bee Day, a special day in the calendar that celebrates and recognises the vital role bees play in our planet’s biodiversity and the many challenges they face today.
The Zoo is home to several colonies of bees with the Zoo working in collaboration with local apiarists, Colwyn Bee, to provide a host site for some of their apiaries, providing food for the bees and enhancing the health of our woodlands.
Kaitlyn Jenkins, Marketing and Sales Executive of the Welsh Mountain Zoo commented: “We are committed to raising issues around conservation and days such as this help provide a focus on specific species, stimulating further discussion and debate.
“Bees are declining in the wild and we must encourage the protection of bees and other pollenating insects. One of the biggest threats to the species are from pesticides, herbicides and habitat loss. Urban developments and agricultural changes have seen a decrease in wildflower meadows by 97% since the 1930s. This reduction in vital food resources and habitats, along with the use of pesticides, and other factors has led to a significant loss in bee populations in the UK. We encourage everyone to reconsider if using chemicals on their gardens and check the label for neonicotinoids (thiacloprid and acetamiprid), a chemical which is fatal to bees and opt for more environmentally friendly methods.”
The Bees at the Zoo are honey producing and, should they have a productive year, a limited number of jars will be available to purchase at the Zoo this autumn, with all monies raised being donated back to the Zoo by the family run Colwyn Bee.
