A CAMPAIGN has been launched to save the endangered bumblebee in part of the North-East.

Durham Wildlife Trust is running the project after recent surveys showed a slow and steady decline in bumblebee species across the UK.

In the trust's area, which includes County Durham, Wearside and Gateshead, the insect is disappearing from many of its old haunts and is increasingly dependent on flower-rich parks and gardens.

Trust conservation manager Terry Coult is co-ordinating the first phase of the project -a survey of numbers.

He said speculation about why bumblebees were disappearing centred on climate change and changes in agricultural practices that were removing flower-rich pastures and clover.

Mr Coult said: "I am old enough to remember when, on summer days, bumblebees could be found on every roadside verge and in most fields, along with grasshoppers, another insect group rapidly disappearing from our tidied and over-managed countryside.

"From a possible 18 bumble-bee species, which once were found in County Durham, about six can still be found commonly in gardens, with a few specialists still surviving in the wilder countryside.

"It is quite possible that these six common species are only common because of their reliance on our gardens."

Trust members are helping with the survey and the organisation wants to recruit the public as well.

The survey is concentrating on the two easiest species to identify, the red tailed bumblebee, which has a red tip to its abdomen, and the common carder bee, which has a threadbare appearance.

Survey leaflets are being distributed around the region and can be obtained from the trust on 0191-584 3112.