WILDLIFE lovers are being urged to get out and about this month as part of a national bee-counting initiative.

The Great British Bee Count 2015 is now under way and runs until the end of the month.

Organised by Friends of the Earth, Buglife and Waitrose, the Great British Bee Count last year saw more than 23,000 people took part, spotting more than 830,000 bees.

And it is hoped more will take part this year.

Gardeners are also being encouraged to take part, making their gardens more bee-friendly, helping provide crucial havens for the threatened pollinators.

TV wildlife presenter Steve Backshall said: “Bees are our pals; without their pollinating powers, our planet would grind to a halt. So get out, have a fun day in the countryside, and do a bit of citizen science counting our buzzing buddies.”

And fellow celebrity animal lover and TV presenter Michaela Strachan has also backed the campaign.

She said: “Bees are the most amazing creatures and a lot of people are totally unaware of how important they are.

"In the UK we are lucky enough to have around 250 different types of bee and a lot of people don’t know that.

“So get outside and see how many you can spot and do what you can to help these awesome little pollinators. We all need to bee friend the bee.”

Friends of the Earth nature campaigner Sandra Bell said: “Discover how bee-friendly your garden, park or countryside is by taking part in the Great British Bee Count 2015 – it’s fun, informative and easy to take part.

“Bees are the gardener’s friend, pollinating their fruit and flowers. With a little effort, more of our gardens and allotments could become crucial havens for these under-threat pollinators.”

To help people record their bee sightings and more information, a smartphone app has been launched, which went live on May 1.

The app can be downloaded from iTunes or the Google Play store.

To find out more about the event, including how to take part, log on to www.greatbritishbeecount.co.uk