Judith Conroy

Organic gardener, writer and researcher at Coventry University @CoventryCAWR. Peat-free, seed saving, plants and (wild) bees.

[Dr Rebecca Bragg @BeccaaBragg]

Day one at @Groundswellaguk ✅

We even managed to fit in a project meeting as part of our collaborative project that aims to find an alternative to peat in our growing systems 🧐🌱🥬

Find out more here ➡️ https://t.co/TJb2jVTPji

#peat @Riverford @CoventryCAWR @cambridgeeco

[Growing Connections @GrowingConnect]

Friday's City Nature Challenge recording at Ryton Organic Gardens went really well! We are holding another nature recording session 1-2pm on Monday 29th April at Ryton Organic Gardens CV8 3LG. All welcome! Free parking 🌿🌳🐝🕷️🕸️🕊️🪶☀️

[CAWR Coventry @CoventryCAWR]

CAWR researchers are working with Garden Organic & the public to investigate the issue of plastic contamination of soil, particularly where food is grown. We are conducting six regional workshops and a survey, which we would be grateful if you could share: https://t.co/KfJzBTt4OH

[Garden Organic @gardenorganicuk]

Live in Cumbria & like to help us learn more about the impact of #plasticpollution on #soil? We're working with @CoventryCAWR to find ways to reduce further contamination. Join us on 2 Mar, 10am-4pm, at Penrith Quaker Meeting House. Email [email protected]

[Judith Conroy @JCGardener]

@GreenJimll 🤣 I see what you mean - you wouldn't want one in your clothing! 😳 Fortunately they do keep themselves to themselves, nesting and flying high above human head height. They're gentle giants really - much less easy to upset than common wasps or even honeybees.

[Judith Conroy @JCGardener]

Have been lucky enough to find a hornet's nest this summer. Fascinating to watch their comings and goings.

[Judith Conroy @JCGardener]

@greenroofsuk @StevenFalk1 @RichardComont No worries , I knew what you meant 👍🐝

[Judith Conroy @JCGardener]

I don't tweet much at the moment but I must share this... Red-tailed bumblebees spotted mating yesterday lunch time. Not something I see very often, despite all my bee-bothering.

[Judith Conroy @JCGardener]

@iancbeavis I'd only ever seen tree bumblebees before this. I almost didn't see these two - something caught my eye, hanging off the chicory - really glad I went to inspect.

[Judith Conroy @JCGardener]

I think I've spotted a melanic male Ruderal Bumblebee (B. ruderatus) at Ryton Organic Gardens. Brilliantly velvety fur speckled with cardoon pollen.

[Judith Conroy @JCGardener]

Green-eyed flower bees (Anthophora bimaculata) enjoying the inula blooms. Spotted the male resting/roosting with his mandibles clamped on when the sun went in.

[Steven Falk @StevenFalk1]

A technical report on an important Bombus muscorum (Moss Carder) population in Lincolnshire is now available here: https://t.co/nVbJenYiWS. Six-weekly sea bank mowing is vital for the clovers the bee needs. Sea bank mowing has benefits esp if it is less frequent along berm & toe.

[Judith Conroy @JCGardener]

Suffolk scissor bees enjoying campanula a couple of weeks ago, in the garden of Bridge Cottage at Flatford Mill. I think they are Chelostoma campanularum, mostly due to their small size but happy to be corrected.

[Plant Alert @Plant_Alert]

Join us in #GWInvasivesWatch this BBC Gardeners' World season. We are watching out for #invasiveornamentals. Information about invasiveness is often missing, as in last weeks show highlighting Carpobrotus edulis, highly invasive globally including Britain's coastal habitats

[Judith Conroy @JCGardener]

Crab spider, Misumena vatia with (impressively sized) prey, seen earlier this week in the ecologically managed graveyard of Holy Trinity Church, Buckfastleigh.

[Judith Conroy @JCGardener]

The ivy bees are out. Fresh female on Bovey Heath, @DevonWildlife earlier this week. Emerged in time for the last of the heather.

[Judith Conroy @JCGardener]

@JWentomologist @DevonWildlife You managed to track her then - amazing footage! Thank you.

[Megan @FavColour_Green]

Showing the amazing benefits of relaxed cutting rotations!

Just look at those gorgeous hedges. 3 year rotation wins in my books.