Was it a Great tit that killed 29 Bombus terrestris queens? Recently, while walking along a footpath through a small birch woodland, I saw and filmed a B. terrestris queen digging a hole into the peaty earth, something I have seen several times now and indicative of...
Female Hairy-footed flower bee foraging on lungwort At first glance, the all black female hairy-footed flower bee (Anthophora plumipes) can easily be mistaken for a queen bumblebee in the early spring, albeit she is somewhat smaller, has orange hairs on her hind legs...
Primroses. A good nectar source for early pollinators? Many articles I have read over the years state that primroses are a useful nectar source for early pollinating bumblebees. Well, in fact, if we look a little closer, it depends upon their tube-like proboscis or...
Winter foraging queen bumblebee. B. terrestris After seeing B. terrestris workers foraging on Mahonia japonica in Liverpool in Jan 2016, I have kept a lookout ever since for winter activities in the North West. Whilst out collecting natural materials for a Christmas...
The Hive: Fortnightly findings Every fortnight we welcome special guests to The Hive to talk about bees and wild pollinators. Until 29 October (alternate Sundays). Event details Alternate Sundays 28 May – 29 October 2017 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm TALKS AND...
Foraging queen Bombus hortorums and their nests in my wildlife garden I have had several Bombus hortorum nests in my garden nest boxes over the years. Every single one, including the two shown here, was “wax mothed”! by Aphomia sociella. None had the...
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