Scotland’s wildlife is amazing, but it's in crisis. We want to see greater protection for all nature and greater commitment to action on species recovery specifically, including for some of Scotland’s most iconic wildlife. In today’s blog Andy Robinson, Senior Conservation Officer, tells us why he's picked Great Yellow Bumblebees as his favourite Scottish species.
Why are Great Yellow Bumblebees important to Scotland?
They are one of our rarest bees, with the population declining by around 80% in the last 100 years. Yet they are an enigmatic species being a large yellow bee with a single back band and a deep heavy buzz, associated with nature/flower rich crofting!
Tell us about a time you saw a Great Yellow Bumblebee in real life/up close?
I volunteered to help the Tiree Great Yellow Bumblebees project. At first I didn’t see many bees, it was just before their really busy August period (when the nest are most active), then I spotted a queen on a spear thistle, a plant I hadn’t really expected to see them on. Being on a 5ft high plant allowed me to get right up close to it, at more or less eye level. After that I saw quite a few (you never see lots) using spear thistles – must be something about them they really liked.
A Great Yellow Bumblebee on Knapweed. Andy Robinson.
Where do Great Yellow Bumblebees usually live?
Great Yellow Bumblebees only occur in the UK within Scotland, and are now only found in the far north of Scotland and a handful of the isles: from Tiree, the Outer Hebrides round to Orkney. They love habitats rich in flowers – in many areas they are associated with the machair and crofting. They nest in holes in walls in small colonies.
What do Great Yellow Bumblebees need to survive/thrive?
Flowers – with a variety of species that flower throughout the summer especially late summer; Kidney Vetch, Red Clover and Knapweed are important - the two main ingredients of diet are pollen for protein and nectar for energy. They also need good nest sites such as disused mouse holes and a safe dry place for the queens to hibernate over winter.
What’s a fun/surprising fact about Great Yellow Bumblebees?
They have a deeper buzz than other bee species – once you get your ear tuned in!
A Great Yellow Bumblebee emerging from a nest. Andy Robinson.
Can you tell us a short personal story about Great Yellow Bumblebees?
Whilst on Tiree I was lucky enough to find a nest. I was trying to do a survey for them when it started to rain, so, disappointed, I headed back to the car. However things brightened up weather-wise and suddenly one appeared on a thistle... then another then one flew down into the ground a short distance away. I watched the remaining one but it flew off to forage. But then another appeared, and as if leading me on followed the fence line along and down and into a hole.
Learn more about our #SaveScotSpecies campaign here, and pick your favourite species here. Don’t forget to send our digital postcard to your MSPs asking them to make species recovery a priority.
Main image: A Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly and a Great Yellow Bumblebee on a thistle. Andy Robinson.