For the last four years I have been involved in a bumblebee transect, a survey to count the number of our furry friends in and around Coombes. This is a nationwide project which aims to help us understand just what is going on with our bees. So, armed with nothing but a clipboard and a pair of sharp(ish) eyes – we’re going on a bear...I mean bee - hunt!
First, let me get this off my chest; bumblebees and honeybees aren't the same. Bumblebees are much more weather hardy then their softer cousins and are definitely not the source of any honey. However, the 24 species of bumblebee that buzz over your head are doing a great job pollinating all that delicious fruit and veg that we enjoy.
The Lifecycle of a Bumblebee
1. It’s around this time of the year that the queen emerges and her first task is to replenish her lost body fats by feeding on suitable flowers. She then needs to find the perfect nesting spot, which is why at this time of year queens can often be seen searching the ground and nearby foliage - she's looking for a site to make her nest. Even among bees it’s all about location, location, location; whilst nest sites are readily available it is the quality and abundance of the surrounding nectar and pollen sources that are critical to rearing the first of the workers. The nest site is usually chosen for a warm aspect and the insulation that it provides, one of the most common sites chosen are old mouse and vole nests. However, choice of nesting sites can also depend on individual species, for example the Buff-Tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) usually nest underground whereas Carder bumblebees such as the Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum) nest on the surface.
Early Bumblebee by Richard Bedford (RSPB Images)
2. Once the nest site has been chosen and the first brood has been laid the first adult workers can emerge from their cocoons. They are usually very small in relation to the queen and it takes a little time for their coat of hairs to dry and about a day for the wings to harden sufficiently for foraging duties. One of their main duties is to keep the nest tidy – very domesticated!
Common-Carder Bumblebee by Carl Capewell
3. Towards the end of the season some of the eggs laid by the fertilised queen develop into new queens and males, rather than workers. After the males and new queens have been produced the colony has essentially served its function. The males, after having mated (with the new queens), die in the late summer and early autumn along with the old queen and the workers.
4. After they emerge the new queens may stay around the nest for a while mating and foraging to build up their body fats for hibernation. They will then seek a suitable hibernation site, which can be in north facing banks beneath the bark of rotting trees or underground in open grasslands. The new queen emerges in spring and the cycle starts again…
Red-tailed Bumblebee (male) by Carl Capewell
You can help bumblebees in your own garden, visit http://homes.rspb.org.uk/ for more information. When you’re out for a walk around the reserve stop and listen out for these plump, buzzing insects. It’s the sound of summer don’t you think?
That's a very interesting piece Carl. Nice photos too. Thanks.