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New hotel roof at Escrick is the bees' knees

The pioneering bee hotel at Three Hagges Wood-Meadow at Escrick, between York and Selby, has a brand-new roof.

The multi-storey hotel has been built to create a special habitat for wildlife, catering especially for solitary bees, wasps and other insects.

It was originally constructed last November, but it was only this month that a superb new roof, covered with a carpet of native wildflower turf, was attached.

The roof has been created by metal-workers MDB Associates of Riccall, while Lindum Turf from Thorganby provided the wildflower turf. Sand banks for beetles and mining bees are being added at the side.

Lin Hawthorne, biologist, explained: “We recorded several species of solitary bees in the meadow last year and now we hope that they’ll move into the hotel in the spring and breed there.

“The solitary bees and wasps are important pollinators, but less well-known than honey or bumble bees – there are over 250 species of them in the UK. Unlike honey bees, they don’t produce honey, and some are more effective pollinators than either honey or bumble bees. Some of them, like the Ruby Tailed jewel wasp, are very beautiful as well as useful – and they very rarely sting. “

Mick Brown of MDB Associates added: “We are delighted to be connected with this worthy project and look forward to seeing the first little guests at the Bee Palace very soon.”

Three Hagges Wood-Meadow is on the A19 between York and Selby at Hollicarrs. The community wood is being created and managed for biodiversity, research and education by pioneering charity Hagge Woods Trust.

Hagge Woods Trust is pioneering the re-creation of our rural and urban landscape, using the building blocks of meadow and woodland together, to invite wildlife into our lives.

The Trust is keen to encourage everyone in the community, young and old, to visit the wood-meadow over the spring and summer and explore the 25-acre meadow of wildflowers and all the wildlife - bees, butterflies, beetles and all sorts of pollinators - that it attracts. You can become a Friend and adopt your own square, about the size of half a tennis court, for around £1 a week.

The 2016 programme of events includes a Discovery Day at Three Hagges Wood-Meadow on Saturday 2nd July and many Citizen Science activities.

For further details or to find out how you can be involved in this project, please contact: Rosalind Forbes Adam rosalind@haggewoodstrust.org.uk 07976 821903 or visit www.haggewoodstrust.org.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robert Beaumont .