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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/19/warm-weather-boosts-hopes-for-rarest-bumblebees-revival-in-britain
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Warm weather boosts hopes for rarest bumblebee's revival in Britain | Warm weather boosts hopes for rarest bumblebee's revival in Britain |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Warm | Warm |
| spring conditions should help Britain's rarest bumblebee as wildlife | spring conditions should help Britain's rarest bumblebee as wildlife |
| experts reintroduce a new batch of queens to help boost the species. The | |
| short-haired bumblebee vanished from the UK in 1988, having suffered | short-haired bumblebee vanished from the UK in 1988, having suffered |
| declines over the previous 60 years as its habitat was lost, and was | declines over the previous 60 years as its habitat was lost, and was |
| officially declared extinct in 2000. | officially declared extinct in 2000. |
| A | A |
| scheme to reintroduce the species has seen experts collecting | scheme to reintroduce the species has seen experts collecting |
| short-haired bumblebee queens from Sweden, where they are found in good | short-haired bumblebee queens from Sweden, where they are found in good |
| numbers, and releasing them at the RSPB's reserve at Dungeness, Kent. | numbers, and releasing them at the RSPB's reserve at Dungeness, Kent. |
| The first generation of queens collected and released in 2012 struggled in the cold, wet conditions that summer. Worker | |
| short-haired bumblebees were spotted at the site following last year's | short-haired bumblebees were spotted at the site following last year's |
| release, but no queens have yet been recorded, although the team behind | release, but no queens have yet been recorded, although the team behind |
| the project hope this year they will start to see signs of a | the project hope this year they will start to see signs of a |
| self-sustaining population. | self-sustaining population. |
| Nikki Gammans, project officer, said: "The signs are good – there are | Nikki Gammans, project officer, said: "The signs are good – there are |
| lots of wild flowers coming into bloom thanks to the work of the local | lots of wild flowers coming into bloom thanks to the work of the local |
| farming community and gardeners. | farming community and gardeners. |
| "We have already spotted other very rare species in the area including the ruderal bumblebee and the red-shanked carder bee. | "We have already spotted other very rare species in the area including the ruderal bumblebee and the red-shanked carder bee. |
| "With | "With |
| short-haired bumblebee workers being spotted last year and a new batch | short-haired bumblebee workers being spotted last year and a new batch |
| ready to go out, there are high hopes for the future of the species. | ready to go out, there are high hopes for the future of the species. |
| "We | "We |
| managed to collect all the queens in just two-and-a-half days in Sweden | managed to collect all the queens in just two-and-a-half days in Sweden |
| and the warm spring has brought the release date forward by two weeks. | and the warm spring has brought the release date forward by two weeks. |
| "A | "A |
| lot of people are following the fortunes of the bumblebees now both in | lot of people are following the fortunes of the bumblebees now both in |
| Kent and further afield in the UK and in Sweden, and it's fantastic | Kent and further afield in the UK and in Sweden, and it's fantastic |
| talking to so many people who care so much about our threatened | talking to so many people who care so much about our threatened |
| bumblebees." | bumblebees." |
| The | The |
| conservation project to bring back the bee has involved work with | conservation project to bring back the bee has involved work with |
| farmers to create flower-rich meadows and field margins in Dungeness and | farmers to create flower-rich meadows and field margins in Dungeness and |
| Romney Marsh, which have boosted populations of other threatened | Romney Marsh, which have boosted populations of other threatened |
| bumblebees. | bumblebees. |
| Of | Of |
| 25 native bumblebee species, seven are in decline and two have become | 25 native bumblebee species, seven are in decline and two have become |
| extinct, including the short-haired bumblebee, but the reintroduction | extinct, including the short-haired bumblebee, but the reintroduction |
| project offers hope for bumblebees across the UK, wildlife groups said. | project offers hope for bumblebees across the UK, wildlife groups said. |
| The | The |
| scheme is a collaboration between Natural England, the RSPB, Bumblebee | scheme is a collaboration between Natural England, the RSPB, Bumblebee |
| Conservation Trust and Hymettus, with Royal Holloway, University of | Conservation Trust and Hymettus, with Royal Holloway, University of |
| London screening the imported queens for disease before they are | London screening the imported queens for disease before they are |
| released. | released. |