Bombus vestalis the lodging cuckoo bee Initially, the Nurturing Nature nest box was first occupied by a queen Bombus hortorum, in my garden. Little did I know that it was going to be the scene of several crimes, including theft, burglary, deception and possibly...
Bee Hotels, Hygiene and Maintenance 29/8/18 Cumbria Wildlife Trust George Pilkington from Nurturing Nature will teach us all about bee hygiene, why bug hotels are great for bugs but bee homes need their own space. George will teach us all about his specially designed...
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...
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...
Brownfield sites. Eyesore or haven for wildlife? When visiting a brownfield site, to many people it appears uninviting, boring and perhaps an eyesore. They could probably also think that wildlife has the same views as them. They could be well far off the mark. I...
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...
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