MORE than receive £100,000 has been awarded to Scottish conservationists to create a buzz about bees in Caithness.

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT) has received the money from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to establish Thurso as the UK's first Great Yellow Bumblebee town.

The project will involve raising awareness of the unique natural heritage of Caithness, creating and manaing habitats for the Great Yellow Bumblebee and other pollinators and to carry out survey work on the current population of bumblebees in.

Katy Malone, BBCT Conservation Officer for Scotland, , said "It is fantastic news, and a great boost for the biodiversity of Caithness, not just rare bees in Thurso, but a whole host of essential pollinators and the wildflowers they depend on all over the whole county.

"I'll be working with our project partners at the University of the Highlands and Islands, Forestry Commission Scotland, and Learning through Landscapes Polli:Nation project, and most importantly local communities across the whole county who have some great ideas about how to help bees in their areas."