Pollination is essential for plant reproduction, allowing flowers to produce fruits, seeds, and new plants. It supports biodiversity by maintaining healthy ecosystems and providing food for wildlife and humans. Our pollinators face several threats, but our gardens and urban greenspaces can be important habitats for these vital insects.

We’ll hear from two pollinator specialists, that will explore how we can provide the right type of plants for pollinators in our gardens and undertake a simple survey to help monitor their populations. This will be followed by an opportunity to put your pollinator-related questions to our panel!

• Beginner’s Guide to Planting For Pollinators with Claire Pumfrey (Buglife)
• Monitoring Pollinators with FIT Counts with Dr Miranda Bane (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)

The 90-minute event will consist of two 30-minute presentations followed by a Q&A with the speakers using questions provided by the live audience. The presentation will be recorded and made available following the event to those who booked alongside a transcript of the Q&A and useful links.

Beginner’s Guide to Planting For Pollinators

Claire Pumfrey (Buglife)

Gardens can be an oasis for our pollinators as they often contain a diverse mix of plants, supporting a wide range of species. Learn about how you can support your local pollinators by planting a variety of nectar- and pollen-rich flowers that bloom throughout the seasons and at different times of day. We’ll also delve into some of the nation’s favourite specialist pollinators and their specific needs.

Claire Pumfrey is a Senior Conservation Officer with Buglife Scotland where she enjoys undertaking of site surveys, habitat management workshops, pollinator identification training and enaging people with nature. Claire’s work as helped to conserve species such as the Bilberry Bumblebee, Small Blue Butterfly and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

Monitoring Pollinators with FIT Counts

Dr Miranda Bane (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)

Learn how a simple 10-minute survey can help track pollinators and support vital research! This session will guide you through the FIT Count process, from selecting flowers to identifying insect visitors. Whether in a garden or park, your observations contribute to understanding pollinator health.

Miranda Bane is a pollinator ecologist specialising in the interactions between plants, pollinators, and people. Miranda works as an independent researcher, collaborating with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, focusing on citizen science and urban biodiversity. She is part of the Scotland Team for The UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (POMS).

This webinar is delivered by the Biological Recording Company as part of the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership Biodiversity Towns, Villages and Neighbourhoods project.