Prof. Jeff Ollerton
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jeffollerton.bsky.social
Prof. Jeff Ollerton
@jeffollerton.bsky.social
Biodiversity scientist, focused mainly on pollinators and their interactions with plants. Author of 'Pollinators & Pollination: Nature and Society' (Pelagic 2021) and 'Birds & Flowers: An Intimate 50 Million Year Relationship' (Pelagic 2024).
It's been a great year for sloes, the hedgerows are packed with them. But you can make so much more than sloe gin with these wild fruit!

Just opened my first batch of salt-fermented sloes for this year. Follow this link for the #recipe: jeffollerton.co.uk/2020/10/03/r...?
#wildfood #foraging
October 4, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Scientist who works on #bees here, Mark: the short answer is, no, bees are not getting bigger. But bees do vary hugely in size, depending on the species, from just a few millimetres to several centimetres - see this graph from my book 'Pollinators & Pollination: Nature and Society' @rileyrouth.com
September 12, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Thanks! The DoPI database does not list any solitary bees at all: www.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/ebe/...
April 30, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Stonehenge: came for the monoliths, stayed for the Great Bustard!

A formerly extinct species in Britain, this bird is from the free-roaming population on Salisbury Plain that's been established from a successful reintroduction programme.

#Stonehenge #GreatBustard #birds #biodiversity #wildlife
April 16, 2025 at 9:55 AM
I'm honoured and flattered that Mark Cocker has made 'Birds & Flowers' one of his #Books of the Year in Country Life magazine! #pollinators #nature #birds #ornithology #botany #BooksWorthReading #NatureWriting
December 18, 2024 at 10:48 AM
Nice little review of 'Birds & Flowers' from BTO News. The book would make a great #Christmas gift for the #birds enthusiast in your life who needs a surprise!

#birdwatching #ornithology #pollinators #botany #Christmasgifts #hummingbirds #NatureWriting #ecology #evolution
December 10, 2024 at 12:03 PM
It was great to catch up with my old pal @davegoulson.bsky.social in Sussex last week when they invited me to present a seminar related to my recent book "Birds & Flowers: An Intimate 50 Million Year Relationship". Thanks Dave and thanks University of Sussex! #pollinators #biodiversity
November 24, 2024 at 11:30 AM
It was great to spend time with Jack Cornish and Ben Masters on Saturday, discussing our books 'The Lost Paths', The Flitting', and 'Birds & Flowers', and the nature of #naturewriting, at the Market Harborough Book Festival organised by Quinns Bookshop
October 7, 2024 at 9:23 AM
Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #6,239,250!
September 17, 2024 at 7:45 AM
Birds & Flowers: An Intimate 50 Million Year Relationship:

'a masterful perspective on the #biodiversity and evolution of the pollination of flowers by #birds... superbly written...vivid stories, plenty of knowledge, amusement, & passion for #nature'

#pollinators #ecology #ornithology #botany
August 27, 2024 at 11:02 AM