HAMPSHIRE nature enthusiasts are being urged to help the UK’s pollen count by building a bug hotel this week.

As part of the ‘Wild About Gardens Week’ the Wildlife Trust (TWT) and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) will run a build a bug hotel competition to encourage gardeners, schools and community groups to do their bit to help.

It comes as a recently published IUCN study showed that 46 per cent of European bumblebee species are in decline, with 24 per cent at risk of extinction.

The Wildlife Trusts’ head of living landscape, Paul Wilkinson, said: “Our pollinating insects need a helping hand and we hope to see many people offer them one with inspired and creative shelters in our bug hotel competition.

“The provision of nectar-rich flowers combined with equal effort to restore and create ‘home’ habitats – including food plants for caterpillars and undisturbed ground for hibernating bees – is a winning combination.”

To find out more about the competition and Wild About Gardens Week visit wildaboutgardensweek.org.

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