At Mersehead, we have two staff cottages with both the Warden and Assistant Warden living on the reserve. We are going to try and keep you updated on the wonderful wildlife we see at Mersehead during our daily walks.
Mersehead Moments
In the last week or so, the bumblebees have started to emerge in the Sulwath Garden, and have been adding their buzzing tones to the bird song and calls that were already filling the air. Queen bumblebees spend the winter hibernating, and thanks to their fluffy coats and amazing ability to dislocate and vibrate their wing muscles to generate heat, they can take to the skies earlier than some other groups of pollinating insects.
There are 270 species of bee in the UK, and the majority (around 240) are solitary bees. A bit like most of us during the present situation, these bees live alone and feed and raise their young in isolation from other bees. 24 species of UK bees –the bumblebees – are social bees, forming colonies made up of queens, workers and males. At this time of year, it is most likely that the bumblebees you might be lucky to spot in your garden, or flying past your window, are queens looking for nest sites. Once this is found and she has fed enough, she will begin laying eggs and collecting nectar and pollen to feed her offspring. The first group of offspring will develop into workers which are also all female. They take over the job of collecting pollen and nectar, and the queen never leaves the nest from this point. After 10-12 weeks of the colony being established, males are produced, whose sole purpose on leaving the nest is to wait around to mate with the new queens, who are the last to emerge. If there is time, the new queens may establish their own colonies, otherwise they will find somewhere to hibernate and wait for next year.
Buff-tailed queen prospecting a nest site. Photo credit: Paul Radford
Bumblebees are on the wing in Scotland from March to October, and 19 species have been recorded. Some are more common than others with the buff-tailed and white-tailed species being two of the most prominent. These are both species that emerge early in the year, and have already been spotted in the Sulwath Garden. Two other species have also already made an appearance: the tree bumblebee – which was first recorded in Scotland in 2013 – and the early bumblebee.
White-tailed bumblebee. Photo credit: Jenny Tweedie (rspb-images.com)
Bumblebees – and other pollinating insects including butterflies – are vital for pollinating a wide variety of plants such as flowers, fruits and vegetables, but they are in serious decline. However, you can help by providing nest sites and foraging opportunities in whatever space you have. This could be by leaving wild areas for nest sites (even a compost heap or old rodent burrow could be used), and by planting a variety of bee friendly plants that flower at different times of the year. You don’t even need a garden, as a window box can provide much needed feeding opportunities for foraging bumblebees. Also, don’t forget the solitary bees. A bug hotel (anything you can construct with lots of individual holes), is a quick and easy addition to a garden or wall.
Bug hotel. Photo credit: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
The Bumblebee Conservation Trust provide lots of information about bumblebees, including tips on identifying the different species and castes, and ideas for creating bumblebee friendly habitats, and which are the best foraging plants. At Mersehead, we take part in a monthly BeeWalk to record abundance and species that are present across the range of habitats on the site. It might not be possible to set up or complete a transect at the moment, but you could still see how many different species you can spot from your window, or during your daily exercise.
Paul Radford, Assistant Warden