24 apr 2022 om 21:37Update: 4 uur geleden
Just like in previous years, the honey bee is well ahead of number one during the fifth National Bee Count, with 12,500 specimens counted. The red mason bee is in second place, just like last year, followed by the horned mason bee.
Door NU.nl/ANPThe horned mason bee seems to be establishing itself definitively as one of the most common Dutch garden bees. It is striking that the animal has been spotted more often, according to bee expert at Naturalis Koos Biesmeijer.
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“Ten years ago this species was still scarce in a large part of the Netherlands, but has clearly increased in recent years. It seems that the horned mason bee is benefiting from the warmer climate in our country.”
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In general, relatively more wild bees were counted and fewer honey bees. “Last year one in three bees was a honeybee, now it was one in five,” says Biesmeijer. More honeybees may have died last winter due to the mild and humid weather.
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More than 3,000 people counted more than 67,000 bees and hoverflies this weekend. Last year, a record number of more than 11,000 people had more than 168,000 bees.
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“There were fewer counters this year than last year, perhaps due to the wind and the start of the May holiday. Fortunately, counts were made throughout the country, so there is good coverage,” says Biesmeijer. Latecomers can submit their counting results until 8 p.m. on Monday via nationalebijentelling.nl.
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Counting bees during the National Bee Count is important because it allows researchers to find out more about how the different populations are doing in our country. To get a good overview, five years in a row must be counted. Then it also becomes clear what effects the weather conditions have on the bee population, such as a cold winter. With this information, the bees can be better protected. The last four counts have shown that the bee population has remained stable.
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Beeld: ANP
