A Somerset rower preparing to tackle one of the world’s most perilous ocean routes marks a crucial milestone this week as his specially-designed boat begins its own epic journey to the US. The 23-foot-long ocean rowing boat will leave the West Country on March 21, to be towed initially to Nottinghamshire and then on via container and cargo ship to New York. The boat’s departure starts the clock ticking on an extreme physical challenge for 25-year-old Sam Coombs, from Clevedon, and his fellow rower Tom Rainey, 23, from Salcombe in Devon. Full story: Read more
Bumblebees show preference for road-facing hedgerows as pesticides continue to damage habitats
The pollination service provided by bumblebees on the field-side boundaries of hedgerows may be limited because farming methods are having a negative impact on their sources of food, a study has found. Research by ecologists at Plymouth University has shown some of the most common species of bumblebees are more than twice as likely to visit flowers on the road-facing side of hedgerows compared to crop-facing boundaries. Writing in the Journal of Insect Conservation, they say this can be attributed to the pesticides and fertilisers used on crops, and they are dramatically reducing the bees’ potential habitats. Full story: Read more