Ron wrote about bumblebees > The bumblebees certainly deserve our respect and care! You are so right. I spend a considerable amount of time persuading people to leave bumblebee nests that they find in the gardens, often in a compost heap, under the garden shed or in a bird box. During the 1970s and 1980s huge numbers of bumblebees were destroyed in this are due to pesticides that were sprayed onto oilseed rape. As a result, the towns became a refuge for them and they are now speading back into the countryside as the use of pesticides reduces. We have many heathers in the front garden (Ericas, as our soil is not acid enough for the Callunas) and it is a joy to see the bumblebees on them; on a fine day in March I counted 11 queens on the heathers and 7 more resting in the sunshine on the south facing wall of the house. Our rather small rear garden is given over to a patio, with herbs planted beyond - thyme, sage, lavender, catmint, oregano, etc. - and is alive with insects. The bumblbees work lavender and catmint non-stop. Of course, they work all hours as they have very little stores in the nest and have to forage almost constanly, regardless of the weather. Best wishes Peter Edwards [log in to unmask] www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/ -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---