‘Bee Friendly’ Wildflower Habitat Planted Along Major Wrexham Link Road

A new habitat on a major link road will help boost declining bee numbers, according to a councillor keen to see Wrexham become more “BEE friendly”.

A grass verge on Cefn Road was planted with wildflower seeds in the spring after a request from Cllr Ronnie Prince.

The seeds planted were corn cockle, cornflower, chamomile, corn marigold and corn poppy.

Cllr Prince highlighted the importance of planting wildflower meadows, and their contribution in maintaining bee populations.

He is keen to roll out the planting of wildflower meadows and corridors across Wrexham in a bid to ensure bees have a continued supply of pollen.

Speaking about the project Cllr Prince said: “Wildflower meadows offer a diverse and exceptionally attractive habitat for the pleasure of people, young and old alike.

“Bees are having a very tough time at the moment due to the loss of their habitats and other factors, including the use of bee-killing pesticides.

“It has been estimated that we have lost 97 per cent of our flower-rich grasslands since 1930, and as bees rely upon flowers for food, it’s no surprise that we’ve seen this decline in their population.”

Cllr Prince added: “People shouldn’t think of bees as pests – we need to take steps to protect them. Without them, we could potentially face a food shortage – the list of crop plants pollinated by bees is endless, and includes potatoes, pears, apples, cauliflower, cucumber and strawberries.

“The further loss of bees would have a major impact on food production, which could easily lead to food poverty.

“But if we plant meadows such as these, we will surely reap the fruits of our labour – or, as I should say, the bee’s labour.”