Buzzing in the East End (B.E.E)
We are making a buzz across 11 boroughs of east London which is home to some of our rarest bumblebee species.
Our Buzzing in the East End (B.E.E) project starts with a 12-month development phase thanks to funding from Kusuma Trust.
We believe there are 4, maybe 5, rare bumblebees across east London and we need your help to find them.
The Shrill carder bumblebee (Bombus sylvarum), one of the UK’s rarest bumblebees, and the Brown-banded carder bumblebee (Bombus humilis) are living in east London. There are historic records of the Red-shanked bumblebee (Bombus ruderarius) and the Ruderal bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus). It is hoped that a fifth rare species, the Moss carder bumblebee (Bombus muscorum) may turn up during our surveys.
We are collaborating with local landowners, residents and communities, including diverse and under-represented groups, to establish where these rare bumblebees are. We want to determine the current state of their habitat and what is needed for them to thrive in our city.
We are working across 11 boroughs of east and southeast London. These boroughs are; Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Hackney, Havering, Lewisham, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest.
If you know of any bumblebee hideouts, wildflower-rich habitat, or community groups to work with in these areas, please reach out to Scarlett or Nikki – the Buzzing in the East End team.
To view a larger image of our map click here.
By gathering data on our bumblebees and finding out who wants to be involved with the project, our plan is to submit a 4-5 year project proposal to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
More about this project
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Further information
We are currently looking for volunteers who would like to help us survey for bumblebees in east London’s flower-rich habitats. We can also offer habitat management advice to local landowners and deliver events with community groups. Find us on social media, including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. If you are interested in getting involved, please email scarlett.weston@bumblebeeconservation.org
