As today, 20th May, is World Bee Day, this week I've been focusing my remote online workshops - Teaching Children Conservation Through Art - on bee conservation, along with other insects and essential pollinators, namely butterflies, moths, bats and hummingbirds.
One-third of all insects are endangered, and, forty percent are in decline worldwide, including some of our major pollinators, such as bees. Insects provide food for birds, bats, reptiles and small mammals. They also pollinate approximately seventy-five percent of all crops around the globe, allowing many plants to reproduce, yielding much of the food that we eat, such as nuts, fruits and vegetables. Insects also pollinate cotton plantations, so without them, cotton t-shirts would be a thing of the past. (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-threaten-collapse-of-nature).
All is not lost, however, as we can help! The children and I have been chatting about how if we were to buy local honey, it would benefit nearby beekeepers. Planting nectar-rich plants in our back gardens, between March and November, would also encourage more of our yellow and black stripy friends into our green spaces. And, resulting from all this time we're having at home due to COVID19, finding creative ways to help shelter and nourish insects would be a great way to fill the day.
Without our beloved bees and other critical pollinators, crops around the world would have difficulty producing food for us to eat, so insect conservation is something worth giving a little thought.
"Hi Diana, we LOVE Doodleswithmydaughter.co.uk™ ... I can't get my boys to sit and listen as you do - you have a magical way with them x" From Lesley, Mum of Woody and Ben who attended the workshop this morning, as they do every week.
If you're interested in your children joining one of my Conservation Art workshops, from four-years-old plus, please email info@doodleswithmydaughter.co.uk.
More info on youth programmes can be found at https://www.rootsnshoots.org.uk/.
