Bee hotels to create a buzz in Colmore Business District
Birmingham’s Colmore Business District is hoping to build on its reputation as a hive of activity with the installation of two ‘bee hotels’ in Church Street Square.
The bee hotels have been installed in the square by Colmore BID, with the help of Urban Buzz wildlife project and the city council’s Parks & Nurseries Department.
Since 1900 the UK has lost 20 species of bee, and a further 35 are considered under threat of extinction.
Bees are vitally important in our eco system and bee gardens in cities provide essential foraging opportunities for hungry pollinators. In urban environments bees have few opportunities to feed, but many species of bee must feed every 40 minutes to survive.
Church Street Square is a public realm enhancement scheme that was designed and delivered in 2012 with Colmore BID and Birmingham City Council.
The bee hotels were provided free of charge by Urban Buzz as part of a wider re-plant for Church Street Square to help re-invigorate the popular space.
Urban Buzz is a project aiming to create 100 new wildlife spots across Birmingham with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and other agencies.
The city council’s Parks & Nurseries Department advised on the most appropriate plants that would attract bees in Church Street Square.
Katy Paddock from Colmore BID said: “We have worked with Birmingham Parks & Nurseries Department to create a bee-friendly space that looks bright and lively.
“Workers and visitors who use Church Street Square will notice we have included two bee hotels from Urban Buzz in the planting space to further help attract bees.
“Many of the old plants from the square were not reusable so have gone on to be recycled and any plants that were reusable have been replanted in areas that are more suitable.”
Earlier this year Colmore BID and Urban Buzz installed a bee garden on the roof of the nearby 2 Colmore Square office building to help the creatures as they travel across the city.
