Climate change: London Royal Parks seeks help to record early bumblebees
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Volunteers are encouraged to take pictures with their phones and send them in
People living near London are being asked to keep an eye out for bumblebees if they head to a Royal Park.
There are eight Royal Parks in London, and each of them are home to different plant, animal and insect habitats.
Some of these insects include bumblebees - and experts are worried about the impact a mild February is having on our fuzzy friends.
They want volunteers to look out for bumblebees when they walk round the parks, and to take pictures of them where they can.
Go back to sleep, queen bees
Bumblebees are known for their fuzzy exterior
Queen bumblebees typically hibernate underground for winter, and reappear in the spring, when the weather has warmed up. This is when the queen will lay her eggs, starting a new generation of bees.
A study in 2023 found that bumblebees were waking up earlier than usual, because of changing weather patterns caused by climate change.
However, bees need to be able to wake up at roughly the same time as flowers start to grow. This is because bees feed from flowers.
Bees also help other plants to grow, in a process called pollination, where they hop from flower to flower, carrying a substance called pollen with them.
Why are bees so important?
The early wake up can be dangerous to bees later in spring. Even though it might be a milder February than usual, it doesn't mean we won't experience wintry conditions again in the next couple of months.
Looking out for the bees
Bumblebees play a vital part in London's parks
The Royal Parks charity, which looks after the eight parks in London, is asking people to try to record when they see a bumblebee in the park.
They want people to take a picture and register what they find. You can take an adult with you, who can help you take a picture and send it through to Royal Parks.
If you don't live near London, now could be a good time to start looking at your own local wildlife. Have you noticed any changes?