The UK is Buzzing Over Bee Bus Stops
Clear Channel hopes to install at least 1,000 bee bus stops in the UK.
News For Kids
Sept 29, 2022
Excerpt:
Bee bus stops are like ordinary bus shelters, but small gardens have been added to the roofs. The gardens are filled with flowers and plants chosen to attract bees and butterflies. In the UK, The Wildlife Trusts is giving advice on the location of the shelters and the plants that are included.
Because the soil for the rooftop garden is heavy, especially when it rains, the bus shelters need to be sturdy. The rooftop gardens need to be trimmed about twice a year. But other than that, not much is needed to keep the gardens going. This summer was a little different, because of the drought.
Clear Channel manages about 30,000 bus stops across the UK. It says that most bus stops last about 20 years. As bus stops need to be replaced, Clear Channel is working with local governments to put in bee bus stops. The company hopes to install at least 1,000 bee bus stops in the UK.
Clear Channel already has similar bee bus stop programs in several countries in Europe. In the Netherlands, the city of Utrecht has 300 bee bus stops.
Research shows that these bus stops – along with many other steps taken to support pollinators – may be helping. After decades of dropping numbers, bee populations in the Netherlands seem to have become more stable over the last few years.
