TRÄDGÅRDSRESAN’S BEE FUND IS SUPPORTING RESEARCH INTO NORDIC BEES
The Trädgårdsresan Bee Fund Committee has resolved to award the Nordic Bee Project SEK 50 000. The funds have come from visitors to member gardens who for the last 3 years have donated money and bought posters and books. Naturcentrum has sponsored the Bee Fund by covering the cost of printing the books. 

THE NORDIC BEE PROJECT
This research study of the almost extinct Nordic Bee (also known as the European Dark Honeybee) is being carried out by Nordens Ark. The goal is to boost interest in and population numbers of Nordic bees in Sweden in the long term. Among other things the project aims to study the way the bees fly, and identify their pollen sources in comparison with the more common non-native bee subspecies. Up to date information about the Nordic Bee is almost non-existent. The hope is that more of Sweden’s beekeepers will become aware of Nordic Honeybees, which have adapted to the Nordic climate and conditions. 

THE BEES WILL BE TAGGED 
The Bee Fund award will specifically fund the research project’s need for macro cameras and pitfall traps for sampling of pollinators, both wild and honey bees.  With these tools they can study, among other things, whether the bees compete with each other and which plants they visit, wild or cultivated. Photographing/filming of pollination visits to different flowers/species will take place accordingly. Pitfall traps enable researchers to differentiate the species of bees and count their number. The RFID tagged bees will be filmed and observed with the cameras to study their different behaviours during their life cycle, at the hives in Nordens Ark. 

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to make this possible!