Environment
In this part of the site you can find out about
Street Trees
Recycling
Olive Trees and “greening” projects
And Wildlife News
This is the current story on the wildlife noticeboard (on Kingswood Avenue, by the park gate beside the tractor yard)
What would you do if suddenly your garden in Queens Park was full of swarming bees?
Ben and his family were marooned in the house, children staring out of a window into a swirling mass of bees, which were settling in a tree just by the front door.
He rang a member of QPARA for help and she rang her beekeeper friend David Young, a member of Transition Town Kensal to Kilburn
David came with beekeeping equipment. He brushed the swarm into a cardboard box. David was fairly sure that the queen would have been in the middle of the swarm and so would be in the box.
David then taped up the box, leaving a narrow gap and waited for the stragglers to find the queen and go into the box.
David explained that some of the bees around the entrance were fanning their wings to spread the queen’s pheromone to attract the other bees from the swarm into the box.
Once all the bees were in the box (after about half an hour) David sealed up the box and took it to an empty hive.
He shook the swarm into the hive, and waited as the bees settled into a new home.
Why do bees swarm?
Before a new queen emerges, the old queen takes off with part of the colony to establish a new nest.
Why do Honeybees fly around in a clump?
The workers gather around the honeybee queen.
She is not a strong flyer, and needs to rest – on a branch, or fence, whilst ‘Scout bees’ are sent to look for a suitable new place for the colony to live.
Read David’s Bee Blog on the Transition Town Kensal to Kilburn website
If you have any local wildlife news or queries – a nest in your garden, or you’ve seen an unusual bird or insect- get in touch (with a photo or drawing if possible) with Judith Rose at qpnature@gmail.com.
Our wonderful Wildlife Noticeboard on the railings of the Kingswood Ave side of the Park was finally erected in 2010. Part of the board is kept up to date with seasonal info about wildlife you can expect to see in and around the area. Any questions and reports about local wildlife or offers to contribute to seasonal information can be sent to qpnature@gmail.com or to robinsharp@googlemail.com
David Lindo at the official opening of the noticeboard
Each May a Bird walk is organised in the Park and Paddington Cemetery, while in January we work with local schools on the Big School Birdwatch. Look out for details of coming events on this site and on the Noticeboard.
QPARA Environment group:
Elaine Henderson: Recycling & gardening
Brian Loudon : Trees
Judith Rose: Wildlife
Robin Sharp: Birds & bio-diversity
Lee Gordon: Gardening
