Bee the Change 2023 - have your say!

Bee the Change awarded funding for 2023 and 2024 - now have your say! 📣

We're absolutely delighted to have been awarded a two-year grant from the Garfield Weston Foundation to help us increase awareness and action for bumblebees. This means at least another two years of Bee the Change! 🥳

Since Bee the Change launched in March 2021, it’s been amazing to see the difference thousands of you have made for bumblebees across the UK. Thank you so much for pledging your support and using our free resources! 🙏

Help us make Bee the Change even bigger and better!

Please take our survey to tell us how you've helped bumblebees in 2022, and what information and resources you might like to see in 2023.

Your answers will remain anonymous.

Take our end of year survey here

What can you plant in October? 🌱

This month's choices are all about planning ahead to feed winter-active bumblebees who may still be out and about during the colder months ❄️​, as well as starving new queens emerging from hibernation early next spring. ​

Boost your flower power by adding one of these to your outdoor space!

🌱 Crocus bulbs
🌱 Winter honeysuckle
🌱 Mahonia
🌱 Pussy willow

Download your FREE October guide for full planting advice and flowering times

Blog: How to help hibernating bumblebees 😴​

👑 Queen bumblebees will hibernate in a variety of places, from well-drained, soft soil, to leaf litter, hollow trees or inside tree bark. They often choose spaces that are north-facing, so they get less winter sun and the ground doesn’t heat up and wake them up early.

Discover how you can provide potential hibernation spots for queens - and avoid disturbing them over winter - in this blog from Information Officer Annie! 👇

Ssssh! Tiptoe over to the blog here

Supporting wildlife over the colder months ❄️​

At this time of year lots of people are thinking about 'tidying up' their outdoor spaces ready for winter, but don't be too hasty!

Many insects spend the colder months tucked away in the dead stems of perennial plants, and in log and leaf piles. Some bumblebee queens also hibernate in the soil until spring, so digging has the potential to disturb their slumber. 😴

By simply leaving parts of your garden 'bee', you can be a friend to lots of tiny creatures! 🐝​🦋​🐞​🐜​

Download our guide to discover which jobs you can leave until spring, as well as some you can do right now - such as planting spring-flowering bulbs like crocus!

Get your FREE autumn-winter guide here