2. To spot this month: Keep an eye out for leafcutter solitary bees

They are coming to the end of their season, but one of the most interesting solitary bees to spot are the leafcutter solitary bees (Megachile). They cut sections of leaf or petal and bring it back to line the cells in their nest. These are the solitary bees that most often use bee boxes. You’ll know your box is occupied if you see a little circular piece of leaf closing the cavities.
 

We have been blown away by the quality of the Tidy Towns entries in the 2019 special pollinator award. Good luck to everyone who entered this year – winners will be announced on the 30^th September at the Tidy Towns awards ceremony in the Helix. The map shows all those Tidy Towns groups in the RoI who have made their area pollinator-friendly since 2016!
 

To date, 12 Councils across the island have signed up as partners of the AIPP and agreed to take action. We know that for others the process is in train. If your Council is not yet taking part, it would be very useful if you could encourage them to do so. It is also very helpful to contact Local Authorities and show your support when you see them taking positive actions like reducing mowing or pollinator-friendly planting. Often they only hear from the people who don’t like it! See our current Council partners here: https://pollinators.ie/councils/

The next in our How-to-guide series is on protecting rare pollinators and identifies actions to help the endangered Great Yellow Bumblebee. Unfortunately, this bumblebee is on the verge of extinction, with the Mullet Peninsula in Mayo now it's most important remaining location.  The guideline document will be officially launched in early October at an event organised by Mayo County Council. You’ll be able to download it from www.pollinators.ie then.