At our April meeting Lentune Probus members enjoyed a lively and extremely interesting talk by Gill Perkins, CEO of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. We rapidly learned that the humble honey bee of which there is only one species is regrettably of very little use apart from producing honey. It is the 24 different species of Bumblebee that we have to thank for the polination of all fruit and vegetables and therefore, directly or indirectly, the very existence of all our food.

We import 95000 boxes of bumblebees annualy, mainly from China, with 100% of our commercial tomato crop pollinated by imported bees. Their extraordinary physical properties mean that all 24 varieties have different length trongues allowing them to fertilise an enormous variety of plants.

Due to the reduction in wild flower meadows since World War 2, changing weather paterns more recently and use of pesticides the Bumblebee population has been in steep decline. With some 60 employees and supported by individuals, companies, charities and lotteries the Trust works to promote the conservation and protection of the species throughout Great Britain.

This was a wonderfully illustrated and informative talk.