The Beeline Project is an exciting new project to create an insect super-highway in Hamlet Court Road – our local high street. With the help of Southend Council’s Big Sparks project funding, we will be bringing 15 large hanging baskets, packed with nectar rich plants as feeding stations for bees, butterflies and other flying insects. These should be in place from mid May until mid September.

Our countryside is changing with, today, far more awareness of the importance of a balanced environment but still the widespread use of pesticides and loss of habitat creates real challenges for insect life. And of course it’s no better in town with endless expances of brick, concrete and tarmac. This has contributed to a 20% decline of butterflies since the 1970s.

The Beeline will include a range of nectar rich plants including the following:

Antirrhinum majus

Calundula

Californian Poppy

Chives

Lesser catmint

Petunia

Verbena

Mini petunia

Sweet Alyssum

Diascia

Trailing Lobelia

Poached Egg Plant

You too can help support insect life by placing plants on door steps and window sills or placing a bug hotel, made from bundled sticks and twigs, in a quiet corner somewhere. If you have a garden consider leaving part of it wild and placing a small dish of water where insects can take a drink.

The Beeline will help create an environment to support insect life supporting Wild Westcliff.

We give thanks again to the Big Sparks funding from Southend City Council, funding support from Hamlet Court Calling and the installation and maintenance work by Southend Council Parks Department