Spring flowers, hawthorn, fruit tree blossom and an abundance of oil seed rape (as seen in the image below) have all finished. This is the month sometimes referred to as 'the June gap' where a lack of food for honey bees in the June gap means extra work for them.
The main nectar and honey flow hasn't started yet so, especially in rural areas, honey bees and other insects, too, have to to work harder to keep the colony fed. It will be a few weeks before the brambles and other wild June blossoming flowers start fully catching up.
What can we do to help? Some trees and shrubs flower in June, as do hardy geraniums, and many herbs, all useful for bees.
Struggling honey bees in the June gap isn't the only challenge - Izzie's battle against famine is matched by her risk from predators in June!
For, at the same time, all the usual hazards are waiting to move in...a hungry swallow captures the hornet chasing Izzie in our story, saving her from certain demise. Now, there is the added threat of the ferocious Asian hornet, in addition to the wasps and hornets native to the UK.
Fortunately for Izzie and her friends, she has come across plenty of blossom on this lime tree; so it's a good place for them to forage and with the help from a bird they are safe from the hungry hornet!
You can download our free Izzie Lizzie June colouring page from www.clairemurthystudio.uk (click on the image below). You can find the full colour print in your copy of the Izzie Lizzie Busy Bee book to use as help with the colours.
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