Tree Bumblebee- here is an easy to identify Bumblebee that is common in our garden, and out feeding today. The first sighting of this highly efficient pollinator in Europe was in 2001. Spreading really fast, this very hardy bee has already reached north of Glasgow. Unusually, it nests in holes in trees, or in nest boxes, late May and early June. If you find one nesting you can report it to BWARS (the Bee, Wasps and Ants Recording Society) so they can monitor its spread- I just love these esoteric voluntary bodies so common in the UK! They want to monitor it to see if it is a threat to our other pollinators, or is filling a valuable niche as our native pollinators decline. Don’t worry about the nest- it is vacated after a couple of weeks. Conditions: Sunny, breezy spring day. Temperature: Max 12- Min 4C
Tree Bumblebee
Tree Bumblebee
Tree Bumblebee
Tree Bumblebee, warming up in the sun
