Abigail Lowe has just completed her PhD at NBGW, and has been studying wild pollinators. In Wales we have one species of honeybee, 24 species of bumblebee, but all the others of our 270 bee species are solitary bees. And bees are not the only pollinating insects: hoverflies, moths, butterflies, beetles, and even wasps all contribute to pollination. As is well known now, pollinators are in decine, along with many other groups of insects. The interacting factors of habitat loss, agricultural intensification, pests, disease and climate change contribute to these declines. Understanding the reasons for these pollinator losses and providing conservation guidance requires detailed information on the habitat requirements and foraging preferences of pollinating insects. Abi's project aims to help conserve pollinator populations by increasing our understanding of which plants they need.

This meeting will be held using Zoom, which is free and easy to use. You can see the talk and ask questions from the comfort of your own home. Abi's talk will last 40-45 minutes, and there will be plenty of time afterwards for questions and discussion.

The meetings on Zoom organised by the Carmarthenshire Meadows Group (CMG) are free to CMG members to attend, as are our village hall indoor meetings, which we hope to resume post-pandemic. Non-members are also welcome to attend, but as with the indoor meetings, we ask non-members to pay an entry fee. For the Zoom meetings, this is £2.00. When you have bought your ticket, you'll be sent the details of how to enter the Zoom meeting (a link, meeting ID, and passcode). Or, you can become a member of CMG by visiting: https://membermojo.co.uk/cmg.

A mining bee (Andrena), an example of a solitary bee.