Jennifer Jones Ecology

My first 2022 bumblebee (6th March 2022) The huge buff-tailed bumblebee queens are out of hibernation ready to start making their nests in time for all the spring flowers to come out. A rather appropriate anniversary gift for my Graham and I! The large queen bumblebees start flying on sunny days in early spring (some are  winter-active ). They are searching for food high in energy (nectar) and protein (pollen). You can see the neat-packed pollen baskets on bumblebee's hind legs and nectar is stored in their crop (similar to where birds store food). Sometimes the colour of the pollen can suggest what plant a bee has been visiting; I occasionally notice bumblebees with striped pollen baskets from visiting different flowers (see photo below).  Bumblebee with two types of pollen on hind leg Once fed, the bumblebee will be seen low flying (zig-zagging pattern) across habitats like grass verges, near compost heaps, and other habitats which may provide possible nesting holes. Most UK...

Slightly more creatures are finally emerging.  The winter honeysuckle ( Lonicera fragrantissima ) in our garden was positively buzzing with bees this month.  We had buff-tailed bumblebees ( Bombus terrestris ) and early bumblebees ( B. pratorum ) on the flowers and I managed to catch this honeybee ( Apis mellifera ) really filling up with honeysuckle pollen.  It was fascinating to watch the honeybee combing the pollen into neat little balls to bring back to the hive for the larvae to eat. Buff-tailed bumblebee ( Bombus terrestris)  on honeysuckle 26th February 2021 Honeybee ( Apis mellifera ) on honeysuckle 26th February 2021 As bumblebees and honeybees are both social bee species they have worker bees which go out to forage for the hive/colony and maintain the nest.  Honeybee colonies are alive all year but workers won't be seen out in winter and they will instead use the food resources like honey they produced during the warmer months.   In...