Sir, – John Rainsford’s excellent article about bee losses (Sciene Today, July 11th) may have induced gloom and despondency in your readers, so I am writing to you in the hope of alleviating the situation somewhat. There are so many ways in which bees and other pollinators can be helped.
A bit of untidy gardening, for instance, with tolerance for some weeds, can provide splendid forage for honeybees and bumble bees. Encouraging young people to be interested in bees is a tremendous investment in the future. There is a great opportunity to find out more during the long vacation, when the Irish beekeepers hold their summer course in late July at Gormanston, Co Meath. There are talks about all sorts of unexpected topics, such as using beeswax for art or furniture polish, as well as beekeeping.
People are welcome to attend single lectures, or one day of the week-long course, very inexpensively. I hope this may help to brighten the picture which your article painted of our beloved bees. – Yours, etc,
MARY MONTAUT,
Kilternan Beekeepers'
Association,
Mount Pleasant Villas,
Bray, Co Wicklow.