CARLETON'S BEE RESEARCH.

Ronnie Carleton

2014 (c)
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This research deals with my own work over a few years into wild bee's in
the UK, their natural history, habitats and habits. There is three main
survey sites I have used they being; my own garden in Rushall Walsall, the
Limepits Nature Research and Collage Farm Rushhall/Aldridge, Walsall
and the Mandala Yoga Ashram area in Wales. The life of wild bees is
complex and more so wild bees.

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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR WILD BEES

What colour is its tail?

Our common bumblebees have tails that are either white, red, bu or brown.
Some colours may fade as the bee gets older, so `red' tails may begin to appear
bu or orange in late summer. Also, some species have a tail that is conned
to the end of the abdomen, so it can be hard to see. This is particularly true
for the Early bumblebee.
What other bands can you see?
Look at the number, colour and position of bands. For example, the bee on
the left has two yellow bands: one on the thorax, and one on the abdomen. The
hair on its head is black. It also has a very thin fringe of bu hairs between the
black and white parts of the abdomen.
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Is it a 'true' or a cuckoo bumblebee?

`True' bumblebee workers and queens collect pollen, so they always have a
back leg that has a broad shiny surface, or has a ball of pollen stuck to it. This
surface is called the `pollen basket'. Cuckoo bumblebees do not collect pollen at
all, so this part of their leg is covered in thick dark hair, and is often narrow. To
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make matters more confusing, 'true bumblebee' male legs look similar to cuckoo
legs, but they have what may be described as an `incomplete basket', with a
few hairs encroaching onto the surface.
Is it a male or a female?
There are several useful clues: Males of some species have yellow hair on
their head and faces. If you are able to catch the bee and put it in a pot,
the shape of the underside of the abdomen is useful (where the sting comes
out from a female). The antennae of males are longer, thicker and tend to be
curved. Female antennae are shorter, narrower and tend to be elbowed.
Behaviour can be useful too: because males do not have to collect pollen for
the nest, they tend to sit lazily on owers. They may also be observed ying
along hedgerows searching for a mate. They do not feed during this time, so
will land briey on a surface, and then y o again. They often patrol the same
area for a while, so you may see the same bee repeating the circuit over and over
again. In contrast, females tend to be much busier, ying quickly from ower
to ower, and rarely wasting time by resting on owers.
The time of year can also be helpful - males become common in late summer
and autumn, whereas females are present throughout the whole lifecycle.

There are around 250 species of bumblebee in the world, and most of these
are found in the northern hemisphere, although South America has a few native
species, and New Zealand has some which were introduced from Britain.
In the UK there are 24 species of bumblebee but only eight are commonly
found in most places. Bumblebees are found in a variety of habitats and most
people should be able to attract them to their gardens if they have the right
kinds of owering plants.
Some species are less common and are only found in a few locations. For
example, the Great yellow bumblebee is now only found on the north coast
and some islands of Scotland. This species previously had a wide distribution
throughout the UK, but habitat degradation has seen its numbers decline dra-
matically in most places.
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About bumblebees;
There are 24 bumblebee species are found in the UK and there are plans to
reintroduce the Short- haired bumblebee. Unfortunately two UK species have
become extinct in the last 80 years and others have declined dramatically. The
reason for this is simple and clearly visible: there are now far fewer owers in
the countryside to provide bees with the pollen and nectar that they need to
survive. Two UK species have become extinct in the last 80 years and others
have declined dramatically. But all is not lost  you can take action today to
help save these hardworking pollinators. This factsheet explains how. bumble-
beeconservation.org What's so special about the bumblebee?

To most people, bees are instantly recognisable but there are distinct dier-
ences between the appearance and lives of bumblebees, honeybees and solitary
bees. Bumblebees are larger and hairier than their cousins which makes them
perfectly suited for colder climates. Their extra insulation allows them to ven-
ture out on cold days when honeybees stay tucked up inside. But bumblebee
nests are small and they do not store large quantities of honey, so they are more
sensitive to the availability of pollen and nectar- rich owers to feed on.
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Bumblebees do not swarm and are not aggressive. Bumblebees are among
the most loved and familiar of garden insects. The sight and sound of them
buzzing from ower to ower is a quintessential part of British summertime
but sadly these charismatic creatures are struggling to survive. In our modern
world of paved gardens and intensive agriculture our bumblebees nd themselves
hungry and homeless. Did you know that bumblebees have smelly feet? Well
they do and it's quite useful! After feeding they leave a scent on the ower
which helps other bumblebees to avoid wasting energy landing  the ower will
contain very little nectar or pollen. Don't confuse bumblebees with wasps or
honeybees.
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Bumblebees do not swarm and are not aggressive. Only female bumblebees
can sting and they will only do so if they feel very threatened. Importantly,
bumblebees will never interrupt your picnic! Bumblebees play a vitally impor-
tant role which we shouldn't take for granted. They pollinate the crops that
provide us with food to eat and the colourful owers in our landscape. Without
their `free bee' service, many wildowers could disappear. Bumblebees play a vi-
tally important role which we shouldn't take for granted. Key ingredients from
our diets, such as beans, peas, raspberries and tomatoes would be harder to
produce and much more expensive without British bumblebees. bumblebeecon-
servation.org Bumblebee lifecycle Bumblebees are social insects and live in nests
of up to 400 individuals. Each nest is ruled by a queen and lasts for just one
year. This is dierent to honeybee hives which remain active for several years.
In early spring the queen emerges from hibernation to start a new nest . Her
rst task is to build up her energy reserves so it is really important that she can
nd plenty of pollen and nectar- rich owers .
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Once she has found a suitable nest site she will rear her rst batch of eggs 
a group of female workers whose job it will be to feed and nurture the colony .
This process is repeated throughout the summer with the queen rarely leaving
the nest. Bumblebees rarely nest in the same location two- years running.
Towards the end of the summer the queen produces male ospring, along with
new queens. After mating the males die o, as do the old queens and workers.
Only the new, fertilised queens survive to hibernate through the winter and
establish their own nests the following year .
Bumblebees rarely nest in the same location two- years running.
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Things you can do to help British gardens cover more than 1 million acres
and can be a lifeline for bumblebees. No matter how small your garden, you can
contribute to our eorts to save the sound of summer by providing lots of bee-
friendly owers throughout the year. By bee- friendly we mean owers that are
rich in pollen and nectar. Many ornamental plants that are commonly found
in British gardens, such as pansies and begonias, are of no value to wildlife.
Years of cultivation for showy blooms mean that these colourful owers often
produce little pollen or nectar. There are hundreds of beautiful owers that
do oer these rewards though, including foxgloves, lavender, geraniums, herbs
and wild roses that you can add to your collection. British gardens cover more
than 1 million acres. Buzz pollination Only bumblebees are capable of buzz
pollination. This occurs when the bee grabs the ower and produces a high-
pitched buzz. This releases pollen that would otherwise stay trapped inside.
Tomatoes are pollinated in this way. Sugar water mix If you nd a stranded or
sleepy bumblebee you can help to boost her energy levels with a simple sugar-
water mix. Mix equal parts white sugar and warm water then pour into a
small container or sponge. Place both the bee and the articial nectar near to
some owers. You can also help by supporting our work to conserve bumblebee
habitats and raise public and political awareness. There are various ways to
show your support including volunteering, fundraising and becoming a member
of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. For more information on all of the above,
including access to our Bee kind gardening tool.
Why bees need our help;
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Bumblebees are mainly under threat because of changes to the countryside

in the UK. Changes in agricultural techniques have meant that there are far
fewer wildowers in the landscape than there used to be, meaning that many of
our bumblebee species are struggling to survive.
The dramatic decline in populations of most species, and the extinction of
two species in the UK, show that something needs to be done.
Causes of bumblebee declines;
When we think of the British countryside, we often think of rolling green
elds with crops or livestock. However, it wasn't always this way. Until rela-
tively recently, the British landscape was much more colourful. The elds had
many more wildowers, and these supported a much greater diversity of wildlife.
However, technology and demand for increased food production meant that
traditional agricultural practises were abandoned in favour of techniques which
increased productivity but ultimately reduced the abundance of wildowers in
the countryside. Indeed, it has been estimated that we have lost 97% of our
ower-rich grassland since the 1930s. As bees rely entirely upon owers for food,
it is unsurprising that their populations began to rapidly decline in most places.

The result of this has been that two species have become extinct in the UK
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since the start of the 21st century:

Cullem's bumblebee (Bombus cullumanus), was last recorded in 1941. The
Short-haired bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus), was last recorded in 1988.
Both of these species are still found in Europe, but the British populations
may have been specially adapted to our climate and environment. Sadly, several
other bumblebee species are in trouble, and could become extinct in the UK
within a short time. Two species in particular, the Great yellow bumblebee and
the Shrill carder bee, are now only present in small numbers.
Impact of bumblebee declines;

It is well-known that bumblebees are great pollinators, and therefore have a

key role in producing much of the food that we eat. Through the pollination of
many commercial crops such as tomatoes, peas, apples and strawberries, insects
are estimated to contribute over 400 million per annum to the UK economy
and 14.2 billion per annum to the EU economy. If bumblebee and other insect
pollinator declines continue, the extremely high cost of pollinating these plants
by other means could signicantly increase the cost of fruit and vegetables.
Bumblebees also help pollinate many wildowers, allowing them to repro-
duce. Without this pollination many of these plants would not produce seeds,
resulting in declines in wildowers. As these plants are often the basis of com-
plex food chains, it is easy to imagine how other wildlife such as other insects,
birds and mammals would all suer if bees disappeared.
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What can be done? Fortunately, there is much that can be done to benet
bumblebees. At the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, we work to raise awareness
of the plight of the bumblebee amongst the general public. In particular, we help
our members by providing information about bumblebees, as well as newsletters
with information and advice about the latest happenings in the bumblebee
world. To become a member, visit our membership page.

In areas where the rarest species are hanging on, we have been working with
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farmers who are farming in ways that are sympathetic to bumblebees. Some
farmers have made a few simple changes to their techniques, which have meant
more owers blooming, and bumblebee populations recovering in some areas. If
you are a farmer or land manager, have a look at our pages on Managing land
for bumblebees to see what you can do.
It is also possible for individuals and other groups to help bumblebees in
their own communities. Perhaps the simplest thing to do is to plant some
bee-friendly plants in your garden. This is explained more extensively in our
section on Gardening for bumblebees. As gardens cover over one million acres
in the UK, this presents a great opportunity to provide food for bumblebees.
By using this space more eectively, we hope that everyone can get involved in
making the landscape more friendly to bumblebees and help reverse the declines
we have seen.
People can also get involved in survey work. ;

By doing this, we can see what bumblebees are present around the country,
and how their distributions change over time. By monitoring the species like
this, we can detect warning signs and take action to help. Bumblebees are
lovely little creatures - their bright stripes and gentle buzz bring colour and
sound to our summer gardens. They are also very important because they
pollinate our wildowers and crops. Sadly things aren't going well and some
species are threatened with extinction. I'm really concerned by these declines
and I'm pleased to support the work of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust."
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Bumblebee nests grow throughout the season, and produce new males and
queens in autumn. Throughout the life of the nest a large number of smaller
worker bees help the nest to grow by collecting nectar and pollen - these are the
bees that you see out and about in summer. These workers only live for a few
weeks, and then sadly die. It's therefore quite normal to see a small number of
dead bees in the garden. So long as you are still seeing live bees in the area,
then it's unlikely to be something new that we should be worrying about.
The reason why dead bees are often found in gardens and near nest sites is
simply because that's there they've been living. When bees are close to death,
they often cling to owers and look quite lethargic. When they do die, they
then drop o the owers, and you may nd a number of these in your gardens,
especially near the most bee-friendly plants. Also, you may nd dead bees and
larvae near nest entrances, because dead and dying bees are removed from the
nest so that disease does not spread.
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Sometimes we often nd many dead bees under trees (especially lime trees),
and this is because these trees often run out of nectar when it is very warm, or
when lots of bees have been feeding on them. Therefore, bees often die whilst
still trying to feed, and soon fall to the ground.
Bumblebees, like many insects in fact (and humans!) sometimes suer from
dierent parasites which live inside them. These parasites can make the bees
appear slow and sluggish, perhaps even drunk! Again, sad as this may seem,
it is a natural process that has been going on for many, many years, and is
not at the root of the problem. Equally, bumblebees may sometimes seem very
lethargic just because the weather is cold - but they will recover when it warms
up. This is nothing to be alarmed about, and is perfectly natural. Bumblebees
are one of the most endearing insect visitors to any garden. Their furry, colourful
bodies and clumsy ight always raise a smile, but they also do an essential job.
Without their pollination services many owers would produce no seeds, and
fruit and vegetable yields would suer.
What to do if you nd a bumblebee nest
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Bumblebees occasionally nest close to humans, which may cause alarm. If

you nd a bumblebee nest, consider yourself very lucky! They aren't very com-
mon, and can be dicult to nd.
Bumblebees thankfully are not at all aggressive and only rarely sting when
handled roughly. They might get aggravated if you interfere with the nest
itself, but not if you're just passing by. They don't swarm and certainly don't
'attack' like wasps or honey bees. They should just get on with life and do their
own thing - doing a wonderful job of pollinating plants, wildowers and your
vegetables. Even the very largest nests produce very little "trac" in and out,
so you won't see threatening numbers of bees at any point during the summer.
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We recommend that if you nd a bumblebee nest, it is best to leave it alone

and avoid disturbing it. If you do approach close to it, be sure not to breathe
on the nest, as this can make the bees behave defensively, and they may sting.
Bumblebee nests don't live for long, so the nest should die naturally within a
few months. After that time, the new queens will have own from the nest to
hibernate in the soil elsewhere. It is possible (although not particularly likely)
that a dierent bumblebee queen will nd and use the same hole next year.

I thank the Bee Conservation Trust UK for the use of some of the above
research data. (Carleton 2014)
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.
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bee nest for gardens.

.
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red tailed bumblebee.

.

red shanked bumblebee.

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red tailed cuckoo bumblebee.

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Rudeal bumblebee

Shrill carder bee

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South Cuckoo bee

Tree bumble bee

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BEE ID legs

White Tailed Bumblebee.

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Ronnie Carleton (c) 2014

See below for bee biology.
Chapter 1

BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY.

Heath bumblebee above.

view prole simball is a group administrator simball says:
21 of the 22 Bumblebees foung in Britain ~ ID photos of the Bombus or
Bumblebee ~ Bumble Bee ~ Humble Bee :-)
Bombus =
A bumblebee (or bumble bee) is any member of the bee genus Bombus, in
the family Apidae. There are over 250 known species, existing primarily in the
Northern Hemisphere.
Bumblebees are social insects that are characterized by black and yellow
body hairs, often in bands. However, some species have orange or red on their
bodies, or may be entirely black.[1] Another obvious (but not unique) charac-

26
CHAPTER 1. BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY. 27

teristic is the soft nature of the hair (long, branched setae), called pile, that
covers their entire body, making them appear and feel fuzzy. They are best
distinguished from similarly large, fuzzy bees by the form of the female hind
leg, which is modied to form a corbicula; a shiny concave surface that is bare,
but surrounded by a fringe of hairs used to transport pollen (in similar bees,
the hind leg is completely hairy, and pollen grains are wedged into the hairs for
transport).
Like their relatives the honey bees, bumblebees feed on nectar and gather
pollen to feed their young...
1... Bombus lucorum 2... Bombus terrestris 3... Bombus pratorum 4...
Bombus hortorum 5... Bombus lapidarius 6... Bombus pascuorum 7... Bombus
ruderarius 8... Bombus soroeensis 9... Bombus jonellus 10...Bombus monti-
cola 11.. Bombus.hypnorum 12.. Bombus.Ruderatus 13.. Bombus.humilis 14..
Bombus muscorum 15.. Bombus distinguendus 16.. Bombus.Sylvarum
22. Bombus magnus ~ Rarer Northern white-tailed bumblebee
Cuckoo (Psithyrus) Bumblebees
17.. Bombus (Psithyrus) Rupestris 18.. Bombus (Psithyrus) bohemicus
19..Bombus (Psithyrus) barbutellus 20.. Bombus (Psithyrus) campestris 21..
Bombus (Psithyrus) sylvestris
CHAPTER 1. BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY. 28

IS YOUR BUMBLE BEE BELOW?

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THE BIOLOGY AND MAKEUP OF BUMBLE BEES.

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As one can already see bumblebees dier in size, colour and shape with much
variety in some species as well as where they are found. A good few are rare.
What is common in all the species listed here is they have two pairs of
membranous wings with body colouring with shades of browns, blacks and at
times bu, with white or grey white tails.
It will be noted with close observation there is a marked division of the body
into the head area, thorax to abdomen as in all insects but with bumble bees
and solitary bees there is marked bands of small hairs. The head is mobile.
There is also a sheild like structure (clypeus) which is good for ID. The frons,
CHAPTER 1. BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY. 53

forehead,is to be noted as well as the compound eyes and antenna and mouth
parts may come in many forms.
A bumblebee is any member of the bee genus Bombus, in the family Apidae.
There are over 250 known species, existing primarily in the Northern Hemisphere
although they also occur in South America. They have been introduced to New
Zealand and the Australian state of Tasmania.
Bumblebees are social insects that are characterised by black and yellow
body hairs, often in bands.
However, some species have orange or red on their bodies, or may be entirely
black.
Another characteristic is the soft nature of the hair (long, branched setae),
called pile, that covers their entire body, making them appear and feel fuzzy.
They are best distinguished from similarly large, fuzzy bees by the form of the
female hind leg, which is modied to form a corbicula: a shiny concave surface
that is bare, but surrounded by a fringe of hairs used to transport pollen (in
similar bees, the hind leg is completely hairy, and pollen grains are wedged into
the hairs for transport).
Like their relatives the honey bees, bumblebees feed on nectar and gather
pollen to feed their young.
The blood or hemolymph, as in other arthropods, is carried in an open
circulatory system.
The body organs, "heart" (dorsal aorta), muscles, etc. are surrounded in a
reservoir of blood, and pulsing contractions of the tube-like dorsal aorta create
a weak circulatory force.
In fertilised queens the ovaries are activated when the queen lays her egg. It
passes along the oviduct to the vagina. In the vagina there is a chamber called
the spermatheca. This is where the queen stores sperm from her mating. The
queen, depending on need, may allow her egg to be fertilised. Non-fertilised
eggs become males, and only fertilised eggs grow into females and queens.
As in all animals, hormones play a signicant role in the growth and devel-
opment of the bumblebee.
The hormones that stimulate the development of the ovaries are suppressed
in female worker bees, while the queen remains dominant. Salivary glands in
the head secrete saliva, which mixes with the nectar and pollen. Saliva is also
mixed into the nest materials to soften them. The body fat is a nutritional store;
before hibernation, queens eat as much as they can to enlarge their fat body,
and the fat in the cells is used up during hibernation. A bumblebee Bombus
pascuorum extending its tongue towards a Heuchera inorescence
Like all bee tongues, the bumblebee tongue (the proboscis) is a long hairy
structure that extends from a sheath-like modied maxilla. The primary action
of the tongue is lapping, i.e. repeated dipping of the tongue into liquid.
During lapping, nectar is drawn up the proboscis by capillary action. When
at rest or ying, the proboscis is kept folded under the head. The exoskeleton of
the abdomen is divided into plates called dorsal tergites and ventral sternites.
Wax is secreted from glands on the sternites.
CHAPTER 1. BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY. 54

The brightly coloured pile of the bumblebee is a form of aposematic signal.

Depending on the species and morph, these colours can range from entirely
black, to bright yellow, red, orange, white, and pink.
Thick pile can also act as insulation to keep the bee warm in cold weather.
Further, when ying, a bee builds up an electrostatic charge, and as owers
are usually well grounded, pollen is attracted to the bee's pile when it lands.
When a pollen-covered bee enters a ower, the charged pollen is preferentially
attracted to the stigma because it is better grounded than the other parts of
the ower.
Bumblebees do not have ears; however, they can feel the vibrations of sounds
through nearby materials. Habitat
Bumblebees are typically found in higher latitudes and/or high altitudes,
though exceptions exist (there are a few lowland tropical species).
A few species (Bombus polaris and B. alpinus) range into very cold climates
where other bees might not be found; B. polaris can be found in northern
Ellesmere Islandthe northernmost occurrence of any eusocial insectalong
with its parasite, B. hyperboreus.
One reason for this is that bumblebees can regulate their body temperature,
via solar radiation, internal mechanisms of "shivering" and radiative cooling
from the abdomen (called heterothermy). Other bees have similar physiology,
but the mechanisms have been best studied in bumblebees.
Bumblebees form colonies, which are usually much less extensive than those
of honey bees. This is due to a number of factors including the small physical
size of the nest cavity, the responsibility of a single female for the initial con-
struction and reproduction that happens within the nest, and the restriction of
the colony to a single season (in most species). Often, mature bumblebee nests
will hold fewer than 50 individuals. Bumblebee nests may be found within tun-
nels in the ground made by other animals, or in tussock grass as opposed to
Carpenter Bees that burrow into wood. Bumblebees sometimes construct a wax
canopy ("involucrum") over the top of their nest for protection and insulation.
Bumblebees do not often preserve their nests through the winter, though some
tropical species live in their nests for several years (and their colonies can grow
quite large, depending on the size of the nest cavity). In temperate species, the
last generation of summer includes a number of queens who overwinter sepa-
rately in protected spots. The queens can live up to one year, possibly longer
in tropical species. Colony cycle
Bumblebee nests are rst constructed by over-wintered queens in the spring
(in temperate areas).
Upon emerging from hibernation, the queen collects pollen and nectar from
owers and searches for a suitable nest site. The characteristics of the nest
site vary among bumblebee species, with some species preferring to nest in
underground holes and others in tussock grass or directly on the ground.
Once the queen nds a site, she prepares wax pots to store food, and wax
cells to lay eggs in. These eggs then hatch into larvae, which cause the wax
cells to expand isometrically into a clump of brood cells. A bumblebee Bombus
terrestris enlarging her nest hole
CHAPTER 1. BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY. 55

To develop, these larvae must be fed both nectar for carbohydrates and
pollen for protein. Bumblebees feed nectar to the larvae by chewing a small
hole in the brood cell into which they regurgitate nectar. Larvae are fed pollen
in one of two ways, depending on the bumblebee species.
So-called "pocket-maker" bumblebees create pockets of pollen at the base of
the brood-cell clump that the larvae feed themselves from. Conversely, "pollen-
storers" store pollen in separate wax pots and feed it to the larvae in the same
fashion as nectar. Bumblebees are incapable of trophallaxis (direct transfer of
food from one bee to another).
With proper care, the larvae progress through four instars, becoming suc-
cessively larger with each moult. At the end of the fourth instar, the larvae
spin silk cocoons under the wax covering the brood cells, changing them into
pupal cells. The larvae then undergo an intense period of cellular growth and
dierentiation and become pupae. These pupae then develop into adult bees,
and chew their way out of the silk cocoon. When adult bumblebees rst emerge
from their cocoons, the hairs on their body are not yet fully pigmented and are
a greyish-white colour. The bees are referred to as "callow" during this time,
and they will not leave the colony for at least 24 hours. The entire process from
egg to adult bee can take as long as ve weeks, depending on the species and
the environmental conditions.
After the emergence of the rst or second group of workers, workers take over
the task of foraging and the queen spends most of her time laying eggs and caring
for larvae. The colony grows progressively larger and at some point will begin
to produce males and new queens. The point at which this occurs varies among
species and is heavily dependent on resource availability and environmental
factors.
Unlike the workers of more advanced social insects, bumblebee workers are
not physically reproductively sterile and can lay haploid eggs that develop into
viable male bumblebees. Only fertilised queens can lay diploid eggs that mature
into workers and new queens.
Early in the colony cycle, the queen bumblebee compensates for potential
reproductive competition from workers by suppressing their egg-laying by way
of physical aggression and pheromonal signals.
Thus, the queen will usually be the mother of all of the rst males laid.
Workers eventually begin to lay male eggs later in the season when the queen's
ability to suppress their reproduction diminishes.
The reproductive competition between workers and the queen is one reason
that bumblebees are considered "primitively eusocial".
New queens and males leave the colony after maturation. Males in partic-
ular are forcibly driven out by the workers. Away from the colony, the new
queens and males live o nectar and pollen and spend the night on owers or
in holes. The queens are eventually mated (often more than once) and search
for a suitable location for diapause (dormancy).
Foraging behaviour
Bumblebees generally visit owers that exhibit the bee pollination syndrome.
They can visit patches of owers up to 12 kilometres from their colony.
CHAPTER 1. BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY. 56

Bumblebees will also tend to visit the same patches of owers every day, as
long as they continue to nd nectar and pollen, a habit known as pollinator or
ower constancy. While foraging, bumblebees can reach ground speeds of up to
15 metres per second (54 km/h).
Experiments have shown that bumblebees use a combination of colour and
spatial relationships to learn which owers to forage from.
Bumblebees can also detect both the presence and the pattern of electric
elds on owers, which occur due to the positive static charges that are generated
when bees y through the air (see Atmospheric electricity), and take a while to
leak away into the ground. They use this information to nd out if a ower has
been recently visited by another bee.
After arriving at a ower, they extract nectar using their long tongue ("glossa")
and store it in their crop. Many species of bumblebee also exhibit what is known
as "nectar robbing": instead of inserting the mouthparts into the ower nor-
mally, these bees bite directly through the base of the corolla to extract nectar,
avoiding pollen transfer.
These bees obtain pollen from other species of owers that they "legiti-
mately" visit.
Pollen is removed from owers deliberately or incidentally by bumblebees.
Incidental removal occurs when bumblebees come in contact with the anthers of
a ower while collecting nectar. The bumblebee's body hairs receive a dusting
of pollen from the anthers, which is then groomed into the corbicula ("pollen
basket"). Bumblebees are also capable of buzz pollination.
In at least a few species, once a bumblebee has visited a ower, it leaves
a scent mark on the ower. This scent mark deters visitation of the ower by
other bumblebees until the scent degrades.
It has been shown that this scent mark is a general chemical bouquet that
bumblebees leave behind in dierent locations (e.g. nest, neutral, and food
sites), and they learn to use this bouquet to identify both rewarding and unre-
warding owers.
In addition, bumblebees rely on this chemical bouquet more when the ower
has a high handling time (i.e. it takes a longer time for the bee to nd the
nectar).
Once they have collected nectar and pollen, bumblebees return to the nest
and deposit the harvested nectar and pollen into brood cells, or into wax cells
for storage. Unlike honey bees, bumblebees only store a few days' worth of food
and so are much more vulnerable to food shortages.
Cuckoo bumblebees
CHAPTER 1. BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY. 57

The cuckoo bumblebee Bombus vestalis, a parasite of Bombus terrestris

Bumblebees of the subgenus Psithyrus (known as cuckoo bumblebees, and
formerly considered a separate genus) are a lineage that live parasitically in the
colonies of other bumblebees and have lost the ability to collect pollen. Before
nding and invading a host colony, a Psithyrus female (there is no caste system
in these species) will feed directly from owers. Once she has inltrated a host
colony, the Psithyrus female will kill or subdue the queen of that colony and
forcibly (using pheromones and/or physical attacks) "enslave" the workers of
that colony to feed her and her young.The female Psithyrus also has a number
of morphological adaptations, such as larger mandibles and a larger venom sac
that increase her chances of taking over a nest.
Upon hatching, the male and female Psithyrus disperse and mate. Like non-
parasitic bumblebee queens, female Psithyrus nd suitable locations to spend
the winter and enter diapause upon being mated. Reproduction
In temperate zone species, in the autumn, young queens ("gynes") mate with
males (drones) and diapause during the winter in a sheltered area, whether in
the ground or in a man-made structure. In the early spring, the queen comes
out of diapause and nds a suitable place to create her colony. Then she builds
wax cells in which to lay her fertilised eggs from the previous winter. The eggs
that hatch develop into female workers, and in time the queen populates the
colony, with workers feeding the young and performing other duties similar to
honey bee workers. New reproductives are produced in autumn, and the queen
and workers die, as do the males. Sting
Queen and worker bumblebees can sting. Unlike a honey bee's stinger, a
bumblebee's stinger lacks barbs, so it can sting repeatedly without injuring
CHAPTER 1. BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY. 58

itself.
Bumblebee species are not normally aggressive, but will sting in defence of
their nest, or if harmed. Female cuckoo bumblebees will aggressively attack host
colony members, and sting the host queen, but will ignore other animals (e.g.
humans) unless disturbed.
KNOW YOUR BEES. Ronnie Carleton 2013
Last summer has been a bad year for bees though some areas have reported
a decline in these insects due to disease and lack of good wild owers. To most
people seeing a bee that is all it is but there are a good number of bee species
and many hard to ID unless you make a study of them. Bees come from a large
group of hymenoptera and several families all feeding on pollen and nectar. Only
female bees are equipped to carry pollen. Because bees are an important insect
I have included all bees found in the UK, Ireland and Europe. I have marked
any bee found in the UK and Ireland as thus X.
The X means that it is a native to the UK or Ireland.
COLLETES DAVIESANUS. X Nests is sandy areas and is a solitary bee.
Larval over winter in a tunnel. Found also in Europe.
YELLOW LEGGED MINING BEE. X. 200 Species in Europe alone. The
adults are covered with yellow hairs and there are 2 generations per year. The
rst comes out in late March  May, the second July and August. Useful species
of bee for pollination of wild and home grown fruit trees. Nests in clay and sandy
soils with over 100 females nesting in one area at times.
SPURRED PANURGUS. X. A common bee found across Europe and the
UK with the females having a black tibiae covered in brown yellow hairs and
the males have no blunt projections on the hind femora. Likes yellow owers
and the nests are found in hard earth. Some females will use other female's
nests for egg laying. The body of this bee is covered in pollen during summer.
ANDRENA ARMATA. X Found from mid April to late May and a good
pollinator of all fruit trees. It can be found in cities and towns and is a bee of
the open parks and house-hold gardens. Sucks nectar from owers and nests in
the ground, the small hold found in hard paths and banks.
MINING BEES. HALICTUS HALICTIDAE. The Abdomen has 4 transverse
bands of white hairs. The nest of this bee is in the ground and for a single season
only. Found in ight from August and September with the males dying in late
autumn. Females that have been fertilized survive the winter. The male is
above the female on the right.Female.
LASIOGLOSSUM ALBIPES.X marked dierences between the male and
female of this species, the female almost looking like a small honey-bee and
found in ight between April and late autumn. Feeds on all yellow owering
plants. SPHECODES MONILICORNIS.X the natural history of this species
is not fully understood and more research is needed because of the amount of
colour changes in the range of species. Females have no brush like hairs on their
legs for gathering pollen and they lay their eggs in the nests of other mining
bees, the newly hatched larva eating the other bees o spring as well as the
pollen larder.
Parasite bee.MELITTA LEPORINA. X Summer bee from July onwards and
CHAPTER 1. BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY. 59

a good pollinator of owers. The nest is a tunnel in the ground which is built
by the female. After egg laying the female seals the tunnel.
DASYPODA ALTERCATOR. X Females have long thick hair on hind legs
that is used to gather pollen and also help removing sand from the nesting
tunnel. Adults found mainly in July and August but can be found ying from
mid May onwards. Builds the nest in sandy banks in a tunnel of at least 60 cm
and lays eggs on top of a pollen ball. Larvae over-winter to the next year.
MEGACHILE MARITMA. X Found on all coasts and a leaf cutter. July
and August. Seems to like thistles and cornowers. Nest built in the sand under
stones and lined with bits of leaves. Found also inland in middle Europe.
OSMIA RUFA = RED OSMIA. X Early spring bee and common. Likes
willow, lugwort, violets, and other wild and garden owers. Nests in holes and
cavities of wood, cracks in walls and in hardy grass stems. Her nest sometimes
becomes prey to the parasitic larvae of Chrysis ignite. Found also in south and
central Europe as far as the Caucasus.
ANTHOPHORA PLUMIPES. X Black and grey brown hairs over the body,
this bee is found ying from mid March/ April. Adults hibernate over winter.
Nests in clay banks and old walls.
LONG HORNED EUCERA. X Common. Males have long antennae. Found
in large numbers on vetch in May onwards as well as ox tongue. Lays eggs in
tunnel.
NOMADA SEXFASCIATA. X This bee at rst sighting looks more like a
wasp and there are many related species. Females are unable to make their own
nest or provide it with pollen. Invader of other bee's nests and lays her eggs
there within. Young feed on the o spring of other bees. Found May to June.
XYLOCOPA VIOLACEA. Large bee and found in Central Europe where
there is plenty of sun, grasslands and river valleys. Adults hatch August/Septem-
ber and the adults over-winter in old walls and hollow trees. Females can have
up to 3 nests in a season in some areas. May reach the UK and Ireland in a few
years as a breeding species due to warmer summers. (2008?)
HONEYBEES AND BUMBLE BEES.
APIS MELLIFERA. HONEY BEE X As far back as 7000 years ago this
bee was kept by the ancient Egyptians and paintings of the bee are to be found
in old temples and grave sites. In Europe, the UK and Ireland it is found in
several forms and they live as a community bee of around 40,000+ None of the
community is unable to live dependently from the rest and there is a Queen,
workers (immature females), males (drones) All three castes dier a lot in size
and physical character with the Queen being large with a slim abdomen, the
drone has large eyes and robust and unlike the workers, has no sting. The
queen and the workers are always permanent residents of a colony with males
only turning up in early spring or summer. It is the queen who lays the eggs;
the workers build honey combs, gather food and keep the nest clean and tidy.
The workers also tend the queen and the o spring. Though males hatch in
large numbers only a few are needed in a hive, the rest are driven away by the
workers or killed o bystinging. The nest is of wax and not paper-like as wasps
do. May go wild and nest in the holes of trees. 2 = drone = male. 3 = worker
CHAPTER 1. BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY. 60

= female.
Honeybees in nest or hive. The Queen may live up to four or ve years with
summer workers living no more than 7 weeks with a male bee's life much shorter
than that. At times honeybees will swarm and part of a colony is split but will
only happen when young queen's are about to hatch out and it is the old queen
who leaves the nest with a large group of followers. The swarm hangs from the
branch of a tree or bush. In the old nest, the new queen destroys all the other
young queens. The honeybee colony can live together for a number of years and
over winter with a maintained 29 to 36'C temperature, the queen kept in the
middle over the winter months. The worker bees are rst out in spring feeding
on owers.Pollen on a honeybee leg.
BUMBLE BEES.
BOMBUS PASCUORUM X Also known as the Common Carder Bee, it
lives in dry and damp habitats and found mainly in the lowlands of the UK and
Ireland. Found also in Europe and there are many colour forms to be found.
Only young mated females survive the winter in any one year as they go into
hibernation till the spring of the next year. Bad and cold weather can cause the
loss of this bee in late spring. Pollen is carried into the nest by females as food
for the larvae and stores it in a wax pot or cell. The rst o spring hatched out
are all workers which are females without developed ovaries. Both workers and
females have a long sting and their sting unlike that of the honeybee does not
remain in the skin. Males have no stings.
B. POMORUM. X Great colour variation is this species and there could well
be confusion in the eld with other species of bumblebee because of this. This
species likes warm wooded areas in the lowlands and only rarely found up as
far as 2000 m in Europe. Likes also meadows, gardens, and woodlands, the nest
placed underground. Flies from April and May and I know that they have been
recorded in Siberia in late June. The Short Haired Bumblebee is not found in
the UK or Ireland and over winter in parts of Europe.
LARGE GARDEN BUMBLE BEE X Has a long head and very long tongue,
black hairs on the body and yellow bands. Found in the lowlands and in the
mountains and like the edges of woods and scrublands. Females will over winter
and seen ying in late March or April. Males can be found as late as October.
Nests on the ground, in old garden sheds, and sometimes in homes.
LARGE RED TAILED BUMBLEBEE X Common bee and found across
Europe and the UK. The males have yellow hairs rather than orange or red
coloured while females show up with the bright orange or reddish hairs. Females
turn up in the spring after a log hibernation and looks for somewhere to nest,
which can be under stones or cracks in walls. The nest is lined with moss and
dead leaves and then she stores a pollen mass in a wax cup. Worker bees of
this species will at times eat the young bees. The worker bee's life is ve to six
weeks. The bees return to their nests at night and stay awake throughout the
night. Mated females inlate autumn seek out a place to hibernate for the winter,
mainly underground and at least 20 cm into the ground. A good pollinator for
most owers in spring and summer. Found as a breeding species as far north as
Lapland and up to 200 m in the Alps.
CHAPTER 1. BUMBLE BEE BIOLOGY. 61

MOSS CARDER BEE. X Yellow in colour with faded black legs it is found
in the lowlands of meadows and foothills but as high as 800/900 m Flies late
April to late May, depending on the spring weather. Males that over winter
turn up in May. Surface nests in grasses or moss but I have found them in grey
squirrels drays. The number of bees can be as low as 10 but no more than 3
dozen. Males can still be found in late Oct in some areas.
KNAPWEED CARDER BEE. X Many colour forms of this species .Found
in meadows, gardens and elds, the females, seen from April onwards after
coming out of hibernation. Nest on the surface in grass or moss with the nest
being around 25 cm high. The workers hatch out in mid June and are good
pollinators. The males turn up in July onwards. Found as high as 2400m
B. SILVARUM. X Found mainly in oak woods and rare in pine woods this
bumblebee is silver yellow in colour and at times can be found in gardens and
meadows.Females come out of hibernation in late April and build a nest above
ground or underground. The nest is not large and at least 2 dozen bees use it.
Will use deserted mole holes or vole tunnels as a nest site. Females will eat their
own eggs if the spring is cold and not enough food plants around. Males y in
August and can be found at times on owers till the end of October. Found up
to 1,600 m in Europe.
BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE, X Common bumblebee across the UK, Ire-
land and Europe. Colouration is very variable. Above in photographs from left
to right, Male and female. Lower from left to right, Young female and B. luco-
rum which can be confused with this species. Found in woods, elds, hedgerows
and gardens with a nest deep in the ground which can be up to 1 M long or
deep. Workers will at times become cannibalistic and eat the young bees. July
onwards young males and females turn up at the nest, the males then leave and
can be found on plants as late as October while the young females hibernate in
the soil for the winter. A good bee for pollination of plants.
EARLY BUMBLEBEE. X Many colour variably seen in this species it is
common in woods, from March onwards. Female makes her nest on top or
below ground in a mouse hole that is no longer in use. Workers from June
onwards with young females and males ying in July.
B.MASTRUCATUS. A broad headed species it is found in mountains and
foothills and in hilly pine woods. Females over winter and show up in late April
or May. Found across Europe where there are mountains. Not UK or Ireland.
CUCKOO BEES. X Hill Cuckoo Bee.All with colour variations and all y-
ing from April May onwards. Females of the Field species do not gather pollen
and there are no workers leaving the upbringing of their o spring to invol-
untary hosts. Lays her eggs in another bumblebee species nest site and then
leaves. Gipsy Cuckoo bee ies in May or June and females use the nests of other
bumblebees to rear their young as does the Hill Cuckoo bee.
Chapter 2

OUTLINES OF MY PAST

AND PRESENT

RESEARCH.

My bumble bee and other Bee research started early on in Ireland, that be-
ing the areas of Donegal, Lough Erne, Loughguile and the moorlands there,the
areas of Strangford Lough in Co Down and marine areas as well as the islands,
Clandyboy Estate and woodlands and scrub land Co. Down, Grey Abbey Co.
Down as well as the marine areas on islands, Belvoir Estate when it was wood-
lands and grasslands and now a forest area in part as well as a Housing Estate
dumped on it. In England and Wales now the research is ongoing 2014.
I met my rst 'bumble bee' when I was six in Groomsport Co. Down when
it was on a ower head and made the mistake in touching it and from then on
for a while all bees were 'bumble bees ' and they sting.
Of course all wildlife became my main interest as I grew older, birds, mam-
mals, insects, marine life of all sorts, and then I had to start studying owers
because insects seemed to like them and I had no idea what they were called.
Everything in nature has its place I discovered early on and most are related
in some form or other with each other as a whole. Then, the change came, man

62
CHAPTER 2. OUTLINES OF MY PAST AND PRESENT RESEARCH. 63

made changes with chemicals and habitat distruction and the ecosystem took a
beating and species started to dwiddle away or were lost forever. Bumblebees
were declining over the years and this was a warning to me because so were
other species of insects. The writing was now on the wall.
BELOW IS A RECORDING FIELD CHART FOR USE;
THE BUMBLE BEE RESEARCH DATA 2013/14 FOR THE UK Ronnie
Carleton (c) 2013
TYPE OF HABITAT.
DATE
NEST, YES OR NO?
SPECIES OF BUMBLEBEE
NOTES.
TYPE OF HABITAT DATE NEST? SPECIES OF BUMBLEBEE AM/PM FIELD NOTES D

CHECK CHART.
CHAPTER 2. OUTLINES OF MY PAST AND PRESENT RESEARCH. 64

BeeWalk Guidelines A
Why do we need to monitor bumblebees?

Despite the great efforts of both amateur and professional entomologists, there is
that allows us to closely monitor bumblebee species on an annual basis across th
The data that are available are valuable for understanding species distribution.
been collected over several decades by members of the Bees, Wasps and Ants r
(BWARS), other interested groups and more recently by members and supporters
Bumblebee Conservation Trust (through the BeeWatch survey) and are made av
public through the National Biodiversity Network (NBN Gateway http://data.nbn.or
datasets build upon previous data that formed the only official Atlas of the bumble
and Ireland published in 1980.

Bumblebees have declined significantly o

years as flower-rich habitats have been lo
changes in the landscape such as agricul
intensification and urbanisation. We have
species over this period, Cullums bumb
cullumanus) and Short-haired bumblebe
subterraneus). Several other species have
dramatic declines. This rapid rate of declin
the development of a recording scheme th
bumblebee populations on a frequent bas
monitor bumblebees, we need to sample
as well as their distribution. The abunda
Great yellow bumblebee Bombus distinguendus- a
Biodiversity Action Plan priority species in Scotland.
is a measure of its population density ove
Roxanne Curtis is important to monitor abundance as well
it is possible that over the short-term a de
abundance may not be accompanied by a corresponding decrease in distribution.
monitoring abundance we are missing a valuable early-warning system for alertin
decline. The following guidelines should hopefully clarify how you can help us to m
bumblebees and collect important abundance data.

In order to obtain data that will provide meaningful trends nationwide and over a lo
we desperately need a great many volunteers to engage in BeeWalk across the U
commitment and support is hugely appreciated and without it BeeWalk could not o

Thank you so much for your valuable contribution to bumblebee conservati

BeeWalk Survey Guidelines

1) Establish a transect of 1-2 km in length by following BeeWalk Guideli

complete and return the Site Description form (F1) and attach a copy of a
CHAPTER 2. OUTLINES OF MY PAST AND PRESENT RESEARCH. 66

/media/ronald/RESEARCH EX/BEES UK/BEE ID.UK EUROPE.odp

BEE ID.UK EUROPE

FIELD DATA ON BEE ID

CHAPTER 2. OUTLINES OF MY PAST AND PRESENT RESEARCH. 68
CHAPTER 2. OUTLINES OF MY PAST AND PRESENT RESEARCH. 69
CHAPTER 2. OUTLINES OF MY PAST AND PRESENT RESEARCH. 70
CHAPTER 2. OUTLINES OF MY PAST AND PRESENT RESEARCH. 71
CHAPTER 2. OUTLINES OF MY PAST AND PRESENT RESEARCH. 72

NOTED DATES IN THIS RESEARCH FOR UK FOR BUMBLEBEES'

2010/2013
Jan Feb March April May June Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

2 0 11 19 100+ 100+ 200+ 200+ 70+ 70+ 4 0

0 0 6 23 80 60 60 70 60 30 0 0
1 3 0 30 30 70 30 60 50 10 0 0
0 0 0 0 20 80 30 100+ 30 30 0 0
2013 cold spring
2012 wet and cold
2011 wet spring
2010 dry cold