Visitor Centre and Reserve Closed
The centre and reserve will be closed for the remainder of the day (Friday 20/09/24) due to no running water on site resulting from a burst water main. Open as normal from 9.00am on Saturday 21/09/24.
Yellow loosestrife bees
The reserve is alive with insects as we start to move beyond the main breeding season for birds, the flowers are out in bloom and the temperatures are (generally) that little bit warmer.
Whilst exploring the reserve you will come across many species of dragonfly, damselfly, beetle and bee. These ones in particular pollinate and collect nectar and oil from the yellow loosestrife flower. There are several of these plants along the footpath to our Lyle hide, meaning that they are close enough for fantastic views (and photographic opportunities) of these rather cute, yellow loosestrife bee. This type of bee is one of many solitary bees found on the reserve (not a bumblebee), others include the leaf-cutter bee. The yellow loosestrife bees dig burrows in the ground and then using the oil from these flowers, create cells which they fill with pollen and nectar, lay an egg and then seal up with more oil so that the next generation is safe from flooding.
We think that this makes them very interesting as well as cute to look at! We hope you manage to spot them and enjoy atching them on the reserve as much as we do.
