Written by: Simon Greatorex
2022
Buglife are currently running a project called North Cornwall B-Lines – Creating Pathways for Pollinators. We are working with local landowners and communities to help threatened bee species by creating or enhancing 20 hectares of flower-rich habitat along the North Cornwall coast.
This flower-rich habitat will form stepping-stones for wildlife, enabling pollinating insects to colonise new areas and help to ensure the future of several threatened bee species including the Large Scabious Mining Bee (Andrena hattorfiana), the Brown-banded Carder Bee (Bombus humilis) and the Buff-banded Mining Bee (Andrena simillima).
St Enodoc Golf Course is a key site for the Large Scabious Mining Bee, and it provides what is probably the main habitat for the bee at one of the four known places in the county. The Large Scabious Mining Bee only takes pollen from Field Scabious, and areas of the rough at St Enodoc are well managed and are particularly rich in this plant – amongst the best areas in Cornwall. These rough areas provide a fantastic habitat for this threatened bee, and through previous work that local entomologist Paddy Saunders has done with the club, they are aware of its presence.
