The Britannia Royal Naval College is supporting a bee conservation project.

Nester kits have been installed around the grounds of the BRNC to help multiply the Mason bee population.

Working in conjunction with the charity, Praise bee, the college is one of a number of organisations who have thrown their support behind the charity which aims to breed these solitary bees.

Bees are vital for pollinating food crops and currently 35 UK bee species are under threat of extinction. Traditional bee-keeping is under pressure and so food growers need to find an alternative.

The Red Mason is non-aggressive and provides the answer. Encouraging it to nest and go about its business in gardens, allotments and orchards poses no threat to people or animals.

BRNC’s Environment Officer Peter ‘Tansy’ Lee said: “BRNC has a number of feral honeybee colonies, living in the walls of the college buildings, and therefore the site is perceived to be an excellent choice for encouraging other bee species. The nester kits mimic the natural nest sites of the Mason bees and four kits were installed. Each provides a concentrated array of nests in a single place, so nest-seeking females are saved much time because once they have found a nester kit and completed their first nest they do not have to search again for another suitable nest cavity. We are pleased to be able to support this conservation project.”

The College has been working with Viv Marsh, who is the founder of the Praise Bee Charity. He said: “Praise Bee is a charity set up in conjunction with the Church of England and other denominations. Its strategy is to use large organisations, such as the Church of England, the MoD, Police Stations, NHS Hospitals, the NFU with farms and Wildlife Trusts, all of which own many sites and large tracts of ground and also other premises in close proximity to town gardens, to breed these solitary bees.”

More information on the Praise Bee Charity is available online at www.praisebee.org.uk.