tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1960593162026788592024-02-19T14:17:13.180+00:00The Bumblebee GalleryA simple blog with basic information for getting to grips with the different Bumblebee species throughout the U.K.
With pictures to help with identifying the bees you have seen, this is the "Bumblebee Gallery"Danny Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291130688928146874noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196059316202678859.post-87944636688210595112013-05-01T19:09:00.000+00:002013-05-01T19:09:01.303+00:00A short lifeSadly, after surviving one of the coldest winters on record this Buff Tailed Bumblebee, <em>Bombus Terrestris, </em>sadly didn't make it to creating her own nest.<br />
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Found by the eagle eyes of my daughter on our first BeeWalk of the year, this specimen was found on an old pathway, so ther's every chance it was simply trodden on by one of the many dog walkers. However, its body was in good condition so perhaps it was a case of starvation, as not many of the nectar giving plants have even started to grow on Lowestoft North Denes.<br />
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Hopefully we won't find too many more like this one.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsF9pR_t_PrLxbGPyz5uKv665zUPYE6F-hYCAlvS5cLMG77zF4u3nNr0jPUWaJ1BEn7Qt_OzD1lVKqmvHxVhCS3lSqCOGMpWMIpEgCGqXSDdbo_PzbltIiuzP1YvjdZvfKztVEsWcoEQ/s1600/Dead+Buff+Tailed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" lua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsF9pR_t_PrLxbGPyz5uKv665zUPYE6F-hYCAlvS5cLMG77zF4u3nNr0jPUWaJ1BEn7Qt_OzD1lVKqmvHxVhCS3lSqCOGMpWMIpEgCGqXSDdbo_PzbltIiuzP1YvjdZvfKztVEsWcoEQ/s320/Dead+Buff+Tailed.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sadly, this one didn't make it.</td></tr>
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Danny Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291130688928146874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196059316202678859.post-68935550461661175292013-04-27T16:02:00.003+00:002013-04-27T16:02:54.522+00:002013 Bumblebees begin!<div style="text-align: justify;">
Finally, after a long, cold winter the spring and warmer weather finally encouraged our bumblebee species to emerge to start the search for this years nesting sites.</div>
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Having done a couple of bee walks already and seen mostly Buff Tailed, <em>bombus terrestris</em> as they are usually first to emerge. I had seen one Queen Common Carder, <em>bombus pascuorum </em>at Carlton Marshes.</div>
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I finally saw my first Red Tailed Bumblebee, <em>bombus lapidarius </em>which looked as if it had been collecting pollen, hopefully for the feeding of the first female worker bees. </div>
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As the days pass now, there will be more and more Queen bumblebees on the wing so keep your eyes peeled!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiGkkZyY_ZSLKG-9Mw-30v8Pun0XDeR91vTtSBa_ULfJ2qFz_qtHpP4jgC8XpAOcvo6fLqobnlU6XdVtL8tHxTxXtXjNCKdBZlqYnSchjLDd87DdcmyVO74-JdnrHOPOPFHZc_Gl1KbE/s1600/Red-Tailed-Bumblebee-270413-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiGkkZyY_ZSLKG-9Mw-30v8Pun0XDeR91vTtSBa_ULfJ2qFz_qtHpP4jgC8XpAOcvo6fLqobnlU6XdVtL8tHxTxXtXjNCKdBZlqYnSchjLDd87DdcmyVO74-JdnrHOPOPFHZc_Gl1KbE/s320/Red-Tailed-Bumblebee-270413-small.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Tailed Bumblebee taking a rest<br />
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Danny Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291130688928146874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196059316202678859.post-6687315787168185422012-12-08T08:57:00.002+00:002012-12-08T08:57:52.592+00:00Sleeping a bit<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now that the colder winter months are here there is very little Bumblebee activity. However, if anyone has any sightings (and its not impossible) then please contact me with them :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy Christmas to all!</span>Danny Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291130688928146874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196059316202678859.post-19161170942453901882012-08-12T20:56:00.001+00:002012-08-12T20:56:28.820+00:00Male White Tailed<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another look around Lowestoft North Denes didn't produce so much today as most of the food plants have finished flowering, leaving the bees to search elsewhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The standout bee was a male White Tailed bumblebee, Bombus lucorum, feeding on ragwort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Ragwort gets a lot of bad press, but in my opinion its a bit of a life giver to many species.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjogAkM6wVOEw1qJTbV323RH0XSBnhB1jl7hdHSLVb8WRcWaHeRH17lM0SxtJHnNnlyzCVeHey9gm3NSpPYvJOH9MFHfaBEt-GWHLGR51LoM9CemahXLh-87u4g4yxdwhfnoWipRbsKuw/s1600/NorthDenes120812MaleWhiteTailedSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" kda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjogAkM6wVOEw1qJTbV323RH0XSBnhB1jl7hdHSLVb8WRcWaHeRH17lM0SxtJHnNnlyzCVeHey9gm3NSpPYvJOH9MFHfaBEt-GWHLGR51LoM9CemahXLh-87u4g4yxdwhfnoWipRbsKuw/s320/NorthDenes120812MaleWhiteTailedSmall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male White Tailed Bumblebee on Ragwort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Danny Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291130688928146874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196059316202678859.post-2594258973130858932012-08-12T09:28:00.000+00:002012-08-12T09:28:05.921+00:00Slow-mo White Tailed!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A friend of mine took the time to shoot this on 210 fps (frames per second) using a Casio Exilim.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Its an incredible slow look at how a White Tailed bumblebee, Bombus lucorum, navigtes a head of lavender.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The wing beats really amaze me. Thanks for the video Daniel!</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8IImmE3onus" width="420"></iframe></div>Danny Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291130688928146874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196059316202678859.post-11144944854163993382012-08-07T17:21:00.002+00:002012-08-07T17:21:26.421+00:00Cracking Common carder!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looking round my back garden this afternoon I found a Buff Tailed Bumblebee, Bombus terrestris feeding on my buddleia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">More excitingly for me though were 5 Common carder bees, Bombus pascuorum, feeding on lupin, blackberry and sweet mallow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Although they have probably been present for longer than today, it takes my garden species to 6.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHAfx-zonGIjeG2oixnat40fW2iyZEey2U9XWMPNlmqXWTaxmXH9ryYo-Q6RpJkPvv39pGYBaWcnhYWBFOlKenS48XZQoShnE5VMauIfYTiwIaVcVLuEHgbZkZJMW3Ac19-6wdflhyphenhyphenRo/s1600/BackGarden070812CommonCarderSmall2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" kda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHAfx-zonGIjeG2oixnat40fW2iyZEey2U9XWMPNlmqXWTaxmXH9ryYo-Q6RpJkPvv39pGYBaWcnhYWBFOlKenS48XZQoShnE5VMauIfYTiwIaVcVLuEHgbZkZJMW3Ac19-6wdflhyphenhyphenRo/s320/BackGarden070812CommonCarderSmall2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common carder Bee & Lupin</td></tr>
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<br />Danny Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291130688928146874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196059316202678859.post-88712605962465025082012-08-05T16:38:00.003+00:002012-08-07T16:37:51.246+00:00Buff Tailed on Buddleia!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Walking around Minsmere RSPB reserve today threw up a few nice Bumblebees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The stand out was a large Buff tailed bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, probably a male again. Its low droning buzz as if flew from flower to flower was a lovely sound.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2HjYI1g0w7k7owOg8uWb5DR1Z-3XGnT17FdJgfwoxv8aWN8EC1nvjrNlAcytvgWCF-CMuMRGPekyjjLRpx1FtPqky3ptqz3dVmD9DoEfD2OrybNg0bWnpBtrLyNyo-BmQHIGQaLAPlw/s1600/Minsmere050812BuffTailedSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eda="true" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2HjYI1g0w7k7owOg8uWb5DR1Z-3XGnT17FdJgfwoxv8aWN8EC1nvjrNlAcytvgWCF-CMuMRGPekyjjLRpx1FtPqky3ptqz3dVmD9DoEfD2OrybNg0bWnpBtrLyNyo-BmQHIGQaLAPlw/s320/Minsmere050812BuffTailedSmall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probable male Buff Tailed feeding on buddleia</td></tr>
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<br />Danny Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291130688928146874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196059316202678859.post-89893401593258427652012-07-29T14:45:00.002+00:002012-08-07T16:37:19.919+00:00BIG Buff Tailed!!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Walking along Pakefield Cliff last week I spotted a really big Buff Tailed Bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, resting on some common mallow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">See what you think, he's a beauty!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1RMxmxUOv61c4_OQjujunnK2g4yHK7b2MoOSXgpZBtlT4BdYpwuIrTPngnWSKFpbJIvChyphenhyphenbYr2heubU5AzNiq-dBXyorvvRvEymeEgfhb5Xgv_2I9Lms5oTPPJb5D2qK4289SiYLuPo/s1600/PakefieldChurchArea170712QueenBuffTailedSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1RMxmxUOv61c4_OQjujunnK2g4yHK7b2MoOSXgpZBtlT4BdYpwuIrTPngnWSKFpbJIvChyphenhyphenbYr2heubU5AzNiq-dBXyorvvRvEymeEgfhb5Xgv_2I9Lms5oTPPJb5D2qK4289SiYLuPo/s320/PakefieldChurchArea170712QueenBuffTailedSmall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prob male Buff Tailed Bumblebee on common mallow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Danny Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291130688928146874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196059316202678859.post-45979089015893632402012-07-28T21:07:00.001+00:002012-07-28T21:15:58.450+00:005 Species at Lowestoft North Denes<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Feeding on all purple food plants the thistles and common mallow were extremelly popular.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Pictured here is an Early Bumblebee, more likely a male bee.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnueEZLE7LwCxZc9pJvlA1_dCPWnKgIRlnx31oG307B2t0-OaziVaYMpFCbeDouKgLc4U0VZUzt7AJM0i-LhAEmQQgh2l27q9pylSrAlqFWdcCkW2mRLfXUavNVhVqyRt23m5xz9SP1w/s1600/NorthDenesSurvey280712EarlyBumblebeeonCommonMallowSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnueEZLE7LwCxZc9pJvlA1_dCPWnKgIRlnx31oG307B2t0-OaziVaYMpFCbeDouKgLc4U0VZUzt7AJM0i-LhAEmQQgh2l27q9pylSrAlqFWdcCkW2mRLfXUavNVhVqyRt23m5xz9SP1w/s320/NorthDenesSurvey280712EarlyBumblebeeonCommonMallowSmall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Early Bumblebee on Common Mallow</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More pictures to follow at a later date!!</span>Danny Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291130688928146874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196059316202678859.post-18275864393286162772012-07-27T16:25:00.001+00:002012-07-29T14:47:19.160+00:00Welcome to "The Bumblebee Gallery"<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello all, and welcome to my new blog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Hopefully these sightings and pictures will encourage others to take a little more time to notice the plight of the Bumblebee.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Thanks for reading.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Danny.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">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!</span><br />
<br />Danny Porterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291130688928146874noreply@blogger.com0