Sunday 29 July 2012

BIG Buff Tailed!!

Walking along Pakefield Cliff last week I spotted a really big Buff Tailed Bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, resting on some common mallow.

The bee itself didnt move a muscle, which would perhaps suggest it was an early male, and the rounded abdomen would back this theory up. Males have a rounded abdomen whereas females and workers have a pointed abdomen.

See what you think, he's a beauty!

Prob male Buff Tailed Bumblebee on common mallow

Saturday 28 July 2012

5 Species at Lowestoft North Denes

A small scale survey of Lowestoft North Denes produced 5 species of Bumblebee today. Early, Red Tailed, White Tailed, Common carder and Buff Tailed were present. They are all "social" bumblebees.

Feeding on all purple food plants the thistles and common mallow were extremelly popular.

Pictured here is an Early Bumblebee, more likely a male bee.


An Early Bumblebee on Common Mallow
 More pictures to follow at a later date!!

Friday 27 July 2012

Welcome to "The Bumblebee Gallery"

Hello all, and welcome to my new blog.

Its a very basic blog where I will post pictures of the Bumblebees that I see. Hopefully from here others will contribute with their own pictures of these fascinating, yet so very important insects.

Bees have steadily declined over the years, and it is only now that we are realising how important they are to our environment and very existence.

Hopefully these sightings and pictures will encourage others to take a little more time to notice the plight of the Bumblebee.

Thanks for reading.

Danny.

The first picture is the background picture, which is a Tree Bumbleebee, Bombus Hypnorum. They collonised in the UK as late as 2001. Mainly found in the South East, they originate from France!