Photo of buff-tailed bumblebee

The Great British Bee Count

Easy ways to help bees
Early bumblebee on scabious

Thank you for taking part

Friends of the Earth's Great British Bee Count will not be taking place this year, but you can find out more about our work on bees.

There are plenty of surveys you can join this year, to help develop our understanding of bees and other insects. Find out more about bee and insect surveys. 

Early bumblebee on scabious
Record bees and help science

Great British Bee Count 2018 in numbers

23,755
bee-lovers took part
482,915
bees were recorded
50
species of bee were identified
2,901
bees were recorded at bee hotels
73%
of bees were spotted in gardens
Long-horned bee (Eucera longicornis) on a pink flower.

Rare bees sightings

We've already identified an incredible 50 bee species from the photos you submitted this year. Many of these were common species, but some of you were lucky enough to spot more unusual species. Find out which bees got us particularly excited.

Learn about rare bees
Long-horned bee (Eucera longicornis) on a pink flower.
Record bees and help science

Easy bee identification guide

White Tailed Bumblebee
Find out about Britain's amazing bees

Did you know that 270 species of bee have been recorded in Britain?

Tawny Mining Bee
It's not just about the honey

There are 26 species of bumblebee in Britain and just one honey bee - Apis mellifera.

Wool Carder Bee
Spot the difference

Can you tell a Brown carder from a Shrill carder bee?

Learn about the different types of bees
A bee-friendly garden full of greenery, purple flowers and bee hotels made from logs.

Gardening for bees

Whether you have a small planter by your front door, or a large garden, it's easy to create a haven for bees and other pollinators.

Like us, these insects need shelter, water and food. Discover how to help create a simple shelter such as a bee hotel for solitary bees. A simple drinking pond is easy to make too -read more in our guide to gardening for bees. 

Insects feed on the pollen and nectar from flowering plants, so you can help by growing these through each season.

 

Your guide to bee-friendly gardening
A bee-friendly garden full of greenery, purple flowers and bee hotels made from logs.