Bob's Blog - the Great Yellow Journey

Guardian seminar

2010-01-12T13:02:00.001Z

I was sent a cutting from The Guardian at the end of last year, about a Guardian seminar with Natural England regarding 'ecosystem services'. This coincided with the launch of a new report, "No Charge? Valuing the Natural Environment". One of the participants stated that "bees are a vital part of the supply chain, yet the story is always told like it's a shame they are vanishing but only really relevant if you work in an orchard…how much would it cost to make an artificial bee? Where is the sense of panic that this vital part of the supply chain is going missing?". I am guessing that the participant was using 'bees' to refer to honeybees only, which are important and have been in trouble, but our wild bees also carry out a lot of pollination, a word strangely absent from the Natural England report. The statement seems borne of frustration, but I can't help feel concerned. An implication is that if wildlife doesn't provide an 'ecosystem service', or at least one that that we can assign a financial value to, then does this mean it's not worth protecting? At the conference, it was acknowledged that this simplistic 'balance-sheet' approach was controversial but something may have to change, perhaps, as one participant suggested, to ensure that the environment is treated as infrastructure and invested in accordingly.

I am happy to report, however, that the story is not "always told like it's a shame they are vanishing…". True, many bumblebee species have declined, but there is so much more interest and awareness now. The work we are doing with Great Yellow Bumblebee, together with other organisations, local groups and communities, shows that there is scope for good news, and though there is a lot still to be done, the signs are promising. Perhaps some 'Great Yellow Bumblebee' merchandising or wildlife tours could allow someone to attach a financial value to it, and at least one crofter on South Uist is in possession of Great Yellow Bumblebee-pollinated broad beans! However, the Great Yellow Bumblebee is one of a number of rare species that we have an international obligation to protect. This means supporting the habitats and landscapes that support these bees, the 'ecosystem approach', and much more wildlife besides - there are solutions out there!

2010 - International Year of Biodiversity

2010-01-06T09:37:00.001Z

Happy New Year! December finished with a flurry of activity, and I spent a fascinating day with Dr. Paul Williams of the Natural History Museum (and BBCT Trustee). In the grounds of the museum, Buff-tailed Bumblebee workers were busy at the flowering Mahonia, while the nearby outdoor ice rink bustled, evoking fond memories of learning to skate on a frozen canal in Ottawa, and sampling 'beaver tails'! I saw other Buff-tailed Bumblebees using winter heathers (collecting pollen) and winter jasmine elsewhere in London. I wonder if any of these nests survived the hard weather?

Paul showed me specimens of a wide range of species, including the now official 'lectotype' of Great Yellow Bumblebee, originally described by Morawitz in 1869. Although the pattern of Great Yellow Bumblebee is distinctive among UK bumblebees, there are perhaps 20 or 30 species worldwide that look very similar - these all seem to be associated with grasslands. The helpful black band between the wings seems to be the commonest single feature among all bumblebees - but we don't know why! Among European bumblebees, Great Yellow Bumblebee is most similar genetically to Short-haired Bumblebee. However, the evidence suggests that it is actually more similar to two North American species, Bombus borealis and Bombus appositus. Great Yellow has a current range that is more extensive than Short-haired, found across Eurasia, even as far as the Aleutian Islands. It is also a more northern species and it, or an ancestor, may have benefited from the land bridge that formerly existed between Asia and North America.

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/bombus/st.html

http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/journey/beringia2.html

Roadside seed mixes

2009-12-08T16:28:00.000Z

Jane Mackintosh has sent an email regarding clover-sown road verges, similar to one I saw at Helmsdale. These are in Midlothian on the new Dalkeith by-pass and by Rosewell. There were no flowers in November but very large leaves, suggesting an agricultural variety here also. A search on the internet by Jane revealed that there is an official Department of Transport mixture for roadside use. This is a mix for hard wear, with quick establishment, short growth, good root stability and improves fertility. Will tolerate road salt and exhaust fumes. Mow as necessary or twice a year to 75-100mm. For info, the mix is 25% Perennial ryegrass, 20% Creeping red fescue, 30% Hard fescue, 10% Smooth stalked meadow grass, 10% Brown top bent, 5% White clover.

The white clover is a popular bumblebee and honeybee flower, though the larger agricultural varieties may favour the longer-tongued species. A low productivity, species-rich roadside verge habitat could be very useful in some areas, and Orkney has championed 'conservation verges', which are used there by great yellow bumblebee, among other species. However, the proximity of good bumblebee habitat to busy roads could be a problem, especially if the surrounding areas are very poor, thereby concentrating the bees in the best habitat patches. The well-known charity fund-raiser Lloyd Scott, he of the Deep Sea Diver suit and the London Marathon, has recently completed a walk from Lands End to John O'Groats, and phoned in to say that the commonest roadkill, sadly, was bumblebees. I think this shows that what we do to help bees in our gardens, parks and the wider countryside is important, and hopefully the impact of roads on our bumblebee numbers will be negligible.

North Coast Jewels

2009-11-18T09:34:00.001Z

In August, Paul Castle, Highland Council North Sutherland Ranger, found and photographed Great Yellow Bumblebees at two new sites, each representing a new 10km square for the distribution. This was fantastic news as it showed, for the first time, a link between the records at Bettyhill (Farr Glebe and other areas) and Scrabster by Thurso in Caithness, a distance of about 30 miles. Paul found his first at Melvich in Sutherland, on 6th August, feeding at lesser knapweed. This, and another one seen later in the month, were both workers, indicating an active nest in the area. The photo is a little blurred as he was suffering the attentions of Scotland's finest, The Midge! Melvich is at the far eastern end of one of Plantlife's Important Plant Areas, stretching from here all the way to Oldshoremore in the west, embracing all Sutherland's Great Yellow Bumblebee sites. Paul followed this up with a worker and a male at Sandside Bay, by Reay in Caithness. The extra yellow hairs on the face of the male are clearly visible in the photo. I had looked at this site at the end of July, and found a good amount of knapweed, plus Broken-belted Bumblebee (which Paul also saw), so I am delighted that Great Yellow has been confirmed here. Donald Mitchell, Highland Council North West Sutherland Ranger, also got in on the act, confirming - thankfully - Great Yellow Bumblebees in Durness this year, an area where the species may be particularly vulnerable.

A great boost in recording activity this year has seen a number of new 10km squares have been recorded with Great Yellow Bumblebee. Other squares with old records have been visited and the bee found still to be present. All this information is invaluable in maximising benefits to Great Yellow Bumblebee through agri-environment schemes. It is also wonderful that more people are now familiar with the species, and can distinguish the different queen, worker and male castes. The north's good weather in August this year has certainly helped, as this month has peak numbers of Great Yellows. Hopefully there is now a healthy 'bank' of hibernating queens for 2010. We will tot up the total number of occupied squares. It will be a long way below the pre-1970 total of 158 squares (across the UK) determined by bee, wasp and ant expert Mike Edwards in a 1997 review for Scottish Natural Heritage, so this bee will definitely be remaining at its official 'Nationally Scarce b' status (between 31 and 100 occupied 10km squares in the UK).

An August deadline

2009-11-13T14:24:00.001Z

Phew! A busy couple of weeks before the end of August deadline for the latest round of agri-environment applications. I've mainly been contacted regarding applications from within areas where Great Yellow Bumblebee is either present, or is likely to benefit. There have been one or two for Moss Carder Bee as well, where the range does not overlap with Great Yellow, and one for an exciting business initiative to develop machinery and save time, money and fuel on preparing and sowing small areas.

Discovering the bee in new areas means that more farmers and crofters have been able to support this species on their application. As a Species Action Framework priority species it ticks one of the Regional Priority boxes, but this alone will not be enough to succeed. Ways to add value for great Yellow Bumblebee, over and above the minimum requirement, include a commitment to sowing a BBCT recommended mix if creating species-rich grassland (using Scottish provenance wild flower seed), and including Phacelia and red clover in cover crops. I have also been making recommendations on grazing levels and stock exclusion periods, so that where practical, floral resources can be maximised (which helps the flowers set seed too). So, in have gone nearly 50 applications that between them could contribute well over 500ha of habitat managed with benefit to Great Yellow Bumblebee, mainly in Orkney, Caithness, Coll and Tiree. Although the number of applications has increased, and the pot of money is shrinking, we hope that the decisions of the various regional committees (RPACs) will see as many of these as possible accepted in November. Fingers crossed we will hear some positive results before Christmas! The next round has opened, with a closing deadline early in the new year, so more applications are arriving in my email inbox.

Mystery bee!

2009-11-12T09:00:00.001Z

Nicky Redpath sent in this intriguing photo, of a bumblebee she found with Mike Peacock of RSPB on Oronsay, off the west coast. This is a male, with long antennae (can almost see all 13 segments!). As it is a male, it has no sting, so there is no problem at all resting it on her hand! There is a superficial similarity with Great Yellow Bumblebee, but no hint of a 'pollen basket' on the largest segment of the hind leg, so this is a cuckoo bumblebee. In fact, this is an unusual species for the west of Scotland, a Field Cuckoo Bumblebee Bombus campestris, typically associated with nests of the Common Carder Bee B. pascuorum. Not only that, it is of the form 'swynnertoni' that I think is described only from Scotland. On closer inspection, the yellow fur lacks the richer tones of Great Yellow, and it is rather thinly distributed and uneven, giving a 'straggly' look. Where Great Yellow Bumblebee would have a band of black fur between the wings, this has black is mixed in with yellow hairs, so lacks a discrete band. It is also rather short in the abdomen, giving a compact appearance not seen with male Great Yellow Bumblebee (though male bees have an extra segment here too!).

An excellent record nonetheless. There are very few records for Scotland, most of which are from the east. A few reported this year have including one at a Scotia Seeds Open Day in Angus, one on the Stirling University campus (unusually visiting a nest of White-tailed Bumblebee) and photos of good-looking candidates at the BBCT/RSPB Bumblebee Meadow at RSPB Vane Farm, and in an Edinburgh garden.

More photos received!

2009-11-09T09:47:00.001Z

These are a couple of great photos received in late July and early August. There is a fine photo from Lewis, by Martin Scott, RSPB Conservation Officer for the Western Isles. Just twelve years ago, a review by bumblebee expert Mike Edwards showed that on the Isle of Lewis, there was a single report from the north tip, the Butt of Lewis (1974). More recording, particularly by RSPB (joint UK Lead Partners for Great Yellow Bumblebee) has revealed population 'nuclei' between Bragar and the Butt of Lewis, but numbers remain low and fragmented. This one is at creeping thistle.

The other photo is a rare sight indeed - a mating pair of Great Yellow Bumblebees. These were found at these ragwort flowers by Stirling University researcher Nicky Redpath. Amazingly, this is the second pair she found this year! The only other person we know of who has seen this event is bumblebee champion Bill Neill from South Uist, back in 1999, when males were seen congregating at the entrance to a nest, waiting for new queens to emerge.

Homeward bound

2009-11-04T09:37:00.001Z

14th August. Time to leave the far north and head back to Stirling. Poor weather forecast so very thankful for the good weather yesterday. Remarkably, there was another person searching for Great Yellow Bumblebees near Wick yesterday and the day before, Professor Pierre Rasmont from Belgium. Prof. Rasmont has been working on bumblebees for many years, and was looking for male Great Yellows to further his research. He located males feeding at two places, both new locations, and kindly passed on this valuable information.

At Helmsdale I stopped to look at an area of red clover, presumably an agricultural variety, sown along the A9. I don't know if this was done by the Council or a local landowner. Despite being quite early in the morning, it was quite humid (which brought a few midges out to play). There were many Garden Bumblebees feeding on the clover - this very long-tongued species thrives on this crop - and a few Common Carder Bees. It would have been nice to find a Great Yellow but I was more than 20 miles along the coast, south of Occumster - can't have everything! Such crops by a busy road - even at the 30 limit entering the village - may be a concern, because of a high likelihood of traffic collisions. Otherwise the journey was uneventful, though there was another road-killed polecat-ferret near Dunbeath (birthplace of the famous Scottish novelist, Neil Gunn). As with the others, this looked just like a proper polecat.

At Golspie I met Jenny Grant and Tom Kellett of Scottish Natural Heritage. We discussed the issues regarding designated sites and where Great Yellow Bumblebee occurs. In many ways, SNH's hands are tied as they need to assess the condition of these sites based on the notified features, which may be geological or biological. Sadly, invertebrates are rarely notified features, though the typical habitat that they use may be. Thus, the East Caithness Cliffs SAC (Special Area of Conservation), an area of over 440 hectares, is notified for its "Supralittoral rock (Coast) Vegetated sea cliffs". However, the monitoring to assess the condition of this site may not involve the actual flower species used by Great Yellow Bumblebee, such as the abundant lesser knapweed. The associated Strathy Point SAC (over 200 hectares) in Sutherland is a potential area for Great Yellow Bumblebee, but heavy sheep grazing means that there are simply no flowers available - though Scottish primrose is present. Jenny also mentioned that she may have seen a Great Yellow Bumblebee earlier this year, up at the Kyle of Tongue in Sutherland, from where there are no recent records.

A final stop at Strathpeffer, where the rain was truly bucketing down. This was to meet Murdo Macdonald, chair of the Species Action Framework project for Great Yellow Bumblebee, and whose extensive work since the late 90s indicated where Great Yellow Bumblebees were still hanging on in Caithness and Sutherland. After a really good chat and chance to catch up, I dropped off the van at the ever-reliable Jacks in Inverness, and settled down for the train journey back to Stirling, by coincidence meeting someone who shared a mutual farming acquaintance, with a fine fold of Highland cattle.

A very good day!

2009-11-03T10:17:00.000Z

13th August. This morning I headed down to Golspie, to meet RSPB Conservation Officer, Kenny Graham and Assistant Conservation Officer Vicki Saint, and then Scottish Government case officers for agri-environment applications, Andrew Sorley and Murdo Mackenzie, at the Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (SGRPID) offices just outside the town (shared with Forestry Commission and Scottish Natural Heritage). At RSPB, we discussed the distribution of Great Yellow Bumblebee, and the recent new locations that I and others had discovered. We talked also about the success of the 'Birds & Bees' crops, and the pivotal role that seed merchants such as Richard Shearer (Orkney) and others play, and the areas where conservation objectives of BBCT and RSPB converge. Kenny suggested I contact a farmer near Thurso, who has a 'Birds & Bees' crop. These are in short supply in the Great Yellow Bumblebee area, but given the enormous success in Orkney, we hope that increasing areas are put towards this or similar beneficial crops.

At SGRPID, I went over the status, distribution and requirements of Great Yellow Bumblebee, and the measures within the agri-environment schemes that can help, particularly within Rural Development Contracts. Andrew and Murdo deal with a large number of applications from Caithness, and were keen to discuss where input from BBCT can provide a justification that a particular measure in a particular area will benefit Great Yellow Bumblebee. BBCT is increasingly recognised as a source of reliable information and advice for bumblebees, so a letter of support endorsing the proposed management ensures that the Great Yellow Bumblebee - a priority species in Scotland - is taken into account when the application is scored. As funds become more restricted, and application numbers rise, there is clearly considerable competition for the funds available. Great Yellow Bumblebee frequently does not occur on so-called Designated Sites, especially in Caithness. This means that applications here miss out on scores towards National Targets, so our written support for beneficial management here is crucial.

Andrew and I made a visit to his own 'Birds & Bees crop, near Loch Fleet. This is well to the south of any Great Yellow Bumblebees, but it often pays to keep an open mind as these flower-rich crops are so attractive to bumblebees. It was not to be today, but we saw a good range of bumblebees in a short period, including a female Gypsy Cuckoo Bumblebee and a worker Buff-tailed Bumblebee - more evidence that this southern species is increasingly well-established in the north.

Heading north the weather was excellent, so it was an opportunity to look for bumblebees. Being without a useful map, I had to guess, turning off on minor roads to look for suitable areas of flowers, particularly lesser knapweed. Great Yellow Bumblebees seemed to have moved on to this flower, now at its flowering peak, as the flowering of Marsh Woundwort has diminished.

I decided with time available only to check areas off the A99 beyond Latheronwheel towards Wick. The first area, at Forse, showed some promise, with useful roadside verge flowers. Towards Forse Castle, and the North Caithness Cliffs, the quantity of lesser knapweed increased and one grass field held a huge number of yellow rattle seed heads. The knapweed quickly produced several male Gypsy Cuckoo Bumblebees, and a hefty queen Buff-tailed, as well as the more usual common species in the area. At the cliffs themselves, there were great ranks of lesser knapweed, with a nice patch of marsh woundwort. I could have sent a day here, but couldn't…this time. The stars of the show were a number of Moss Carder Bee workers, and Broken-belted was also present. This was noted as an area to visit again - everything felt 'right' for Great Yellow. One or two other stops were less productive, but then I pulled off the road at Occumster and quickly found a field full of lesser knapweed. I headed to the nearest house and knocked on the door - no-one home! Fortunately, the owner arrived, having picked her daughter up from school, and no doubt wondering who this stranger with the white van was. I explained, and not only received permission to look for bumblebees, but also a willing helper. One of the first bumblebees we saw was a worker Red-tailed Bumblebee - not a bad start as this is very scarce in the north! Heath and Broken-belted were here, and was that a Moss Carder Bee? I would have checked, but there in front of me was a Great Yellow Bumblebee - success! We netted her, transferred her to a pot and showed the owner. Before long we had a total of four worker Great Yellow Bumblebees, their presence indicating at least one active nest in the area, and a male. The picture above is of one of these bees, This was fabulous news, as it extended substantially the known area occupied in Caithness by Great Yellow Bumblebee, and is the furthest south (on the UK mainland) that it has been found nesting for many years.

Time was ebbing away, as I had arranged to meet the Thurso farmer. However, there was a chance to check an area nearer to Wick, by Loch Hempriggs. There was a sheep field with a lot of white clover (perhaps those flower-nibbling wee scamps had only just arrived). I was reluctant to disturb the sheep and didn't have much time, so instead - and very lazily - scanned the clover heads with binoculars. Remarkably, after a few minutes I found a Great Yellow Bumblebee, either a large worker or a queen. I watched for some time, to be absolutely sure, but had no doubts. Another new 10km square logged, and so I headed off to Thurso. By now it was early evening and cooling down. I met James and we went to his 'Birds & Bees crop. The bees there were pretty groggy, mainly males about to spend the night there, sleeping rough as usual. Before too long we had found two male Great Yellow Bumblebees - perhaps earlier in the day we would have found a few workers, but no complaints. What a day!

End of season update

2009-11-02T09:27:00.000Z

A little late, but this week I'll be summarising what was happening at the end of the Great Yellow Bumblebee flight season. There was plenty of interest as numbers peak in August, and the new males and queens are reared.

August 12th and it was time to leave Orkney, after a really positive and encouraging few days. The day dawned somewhat drizzly, but I had a little time before the lunchtime ferry. I checked a couple of 'Birds & Bees' crops of farm contacts, one on Mainland (near Kirkwall) and one on South Ronaldsay. Great Yellows are thought less inclined to forage in poor weather than, for example, the Moss Carder Bee. However, the first crop soon produced a couple of workers, both active at Phacelia. I also realised that I had no photos of males, and made a hasty stop at a large bank of knapweed on Burray, just across the causeway from South Ronaldsay (there is a handy car park here). Sure enough, there were males, but it was a bit breezy. Holding the knapweed stems steady I was able to get a few shots showing the long antennae. On to South Ronaldsay and I had barely got out of the car when I saw a Great Yellow Bumblebee resting on tufted vetch in the verge. This was a male, and rather groggy (who wouldn't be, after sleeping rough all night?). I left him in peace and headed to Graham Scott's 'Birds & Bees' crop. Graham is an advisor with the Scottish Agricultural College and is promoting to his clients the benefits that can be provided for bumblebees. The land had a mosaic of habitats, with the flower-rich crop, and flower-rich ditch, a newly sown area of species-rich grassland (following a recommended mix), while nearby is a flower-rich, 'conservation verge' promoted by Orkney Council. I quickly found Great Yellow Bumblebee in the crop - another worker at Phacelia - but had to head off. A quick cup of tea and a chat with John Crossley, the Species Action Framework representative on Orkney (who rediscovered the Great Yellow Bumblebee in Orkney on his farm), then a scamper for the ferry.

We had a visitor on the ferry crossing as we neared the mainland - a male White-tailed Bumblebee! I plucked him off a lady's coat, explaining that he couldn't sting, and took him with me to Caithness. Having showed him the RSPB Broubster Leans 'Birds & Bees' crop, he promptly took off in the other direction, but he arced back into it. I was here to meet folk from RSPB, Caithness LBAP and some Species Action Framework volunteers, as we were going to look for Great Yellow Bumblebees here. We were catching up, chatting, when I spotted a Great Yellow Bumblebee at the edge of the crop, some distance away - it certainly helps to get your eye in! I popped her in a pot and we were all able to get a good look. This was the first Great Yellow Bumblebee that some people had seen, so a very satisfactory start. It was a bit windy, and working along the edge of the crop we came across a few other species, such as Broken-belted, but not the Moss Carder Bee we were hopeful of.

I also received an email from Orkney artist Tracy Hall, who took this wonderful picture of a Great Yellow Bumblebee in her garden on Burray. This one, another male, is at globe thistle, a very popular bumblebee flower. It really is wonderful that more people are reporting this rare bumblebee, and although not many of us will see Great Yellow Bumblebee in our garden, it goes to show that when we provide valuable pollen and nectar, the bees are very good at finding it.

11th August 2009

2009-08-11T21:43:00.000+01:00

Hot news from Caithness! Teresa, one of Phyllida’s volunteers, has seen SIX Great Yellow Bumblebees on the outskirts of Thurso, and by one of the quarries!

Rather a damp day, but had some visits in Kirkwall, to Scottish Natural Heritage to collect the BBCT events materials, and to Richard Shearer, the Orkney seed merchant, with whom I had a very valuable discussion. I saw the big green hopper where all the seed mixes are made up – it gets to be a very busy place in April and May with farmers and contractors waiting for the right time to sow. Richard has played a key role in the increase in the number of ‘Birds & Bees’ crops in Orkney, now totalling close to, if not more than, 100 hectares. We hope to see the same increase in Caithness!

I dropped off some bumblebee information to the brother of someone I had met the day before; I was by coincidence parked next to a BBCT member’s car! We were chatting and I found they were visiting family on the island. After photographing some of the Sainfoin coming through in the BBF crops, I made a couple of other calls and stopped off at the RSPB office in Stromness. Then off to Orphir, where Richard Shearer had said there were some fields with a strong Red Clover crop. The fields were obvious, the wet weather just now providing a slight reprieve for the bees, before the crop is baled as silage. Despite light rain, there was a great deal of bumblebee activity, with many Garden Bumblebees, a number of fresh Moss Carder Bees and at least ten Great Yellow Bumblebees, foraging for both pollen and nectar. One seen flying away was perhaps a new queen but possibly a very large worker. However, some heavier rain set in so it was back to base to prepare for departure tomorrow.

I have also just been told that Cambridge has a “Swarm Co-ordinator” – for honey bees, of course.

10th August 2009

2009-08-10T21:05:00.000+01:00

A few more visits today, first of all meeting up with Alan Leitch of RSPB in Orkney. We looked at a number of ‘Birds & Bees’ crops, and a couple of areas of clover mix provided by BBCT. A damp start, but the rain soon eased off and by lunchtime the sun was beginning to break through. By this time, however, we had recorded Great Yellow Bumblebee in all the ‘Birds & Bees’ crops – the clover mixes (christened by Alan, ‘BBF’ or ‘Bumblebee Fodder’ mix) won’t flower fully until next year. The number of Great Yellow Bumblebees in the crops is clearly determined by the amount of Phacelia present, despite the occasional use of Fodder Radish. Thus, we saw anywhere between 1 and 30 Great Yellow Bumblebees, but interestingly almost all workers, with just a couple of males. We also looked at a field that was now fallow, which were full of arable plants associated with cultivation. Hemp Nettles were particularly abundant, and in among the many Garden Bumblebees and Common Carder Bees, there were two Great Yellow Bumblebee workers.

After lunch, I visited Dick and Pat Matson. Dick is the Orkney Field Club chairman, and has been growing unharvested/game cover crops for ten years. Dick has also sown a ‘BBF’ mix, to which he has added Phacelia. This is in addition to another mix with reed canary grass and red clover, and another of Chicory (a tall, robust plant with large, blue, rather daisy-like flowers) with Sweet Clover – another component of the BBF mix. There were Great Yellow Bumblebees collecting pollen at Phacelia and at the Red Clover (flowering now, i.e. a year ahead of the BBF mix). The record from Red Clover is the first direct evidence that Great Yellow Bumblebees will collect pollen from these agricultural varieties. We even saw one visiting the flowers of Chicory, presumably for nectar. These were also visited by White-tailed and Heath Bumblebees, and both carder bees. So, we managed six of Orkney’s seven species, but just couldn’t find the seventh – the Gipsy Cuckoo Bumblebee.

As I had made my way to Dick and Pat’s, I had seen a silage field with a fair amount of Red Clover. I meant to enquire but on the way back the field was busily being cut. An example of a beneficial management that is part of the farm system, outwith an agri-environment schemes. However, despite the crop being cut now - just as we reach peak demand - there has still been an initial benefit to the bees, for at least some of the time. The agricultural Red Clover varieties flower later than the native form, which is now all but finished flowering. Given this continuity of flowering or native and agricultural Red Clover, it would be helpful for the bees to cut such crops later, but the farmer has to make a decision based on the likely quality of the silage (or haylage, or hay) and, importantly, the weather, as well as all the other jobs that need doing.

Another good day, made better by the spectacle of a Merlin mobbing a Hen Harrier along the road back to Stromness, though this was tempered by the worrying sight of a family car going into a ditch. Thankfully, no-one was hurt and a tractor was on hand to tow the car out (which had sustained surprisingly little damage).

9th August 2009

2009-08-10T20:40:00.000+01:00

Off to Stromness today, but rain was forecast for Monday so some bee searching was undertaken. Up at the Sands of Evie, it is possible this year to walk alongside a ‘Birds & Bees’ crop, and seven Great Yellow Bumblebees were here (with one male using Perennial Sow-thistle by the beach). I chatted with the local dog-walkers who were curious as to what the crop was for, and I was able to point out a Great Yellow Bumblebee at the Fodder Radish within the crop, though most were using the Phacelia. A male Gypsy Cuckoo Bumblebee was here, the fist of this species I had seen in Orkney. A roadside patch of the hybrid Woundwort didn’t have Great Yellows (it provides nectar, but doesn’t set seed – no pollen?), but it was time to meet up with Historic Scotland Ranger, Sandra Miller, for the 1 p.m. free tour of the amazing Ring of Brodgar (cunningly timed with the tour bus companies to be moderately quiet and 80,000 visitors a year go away very satisfied). The RSPB manage the area and have another ‘Birds & Bees’ crop here, and I was able to catch both Moss Carder Bee and Great Yellow Bumblebee to show the group today, and say a little about bumblebees and their conservation.

Just nearby was a farmer who I had met at the Show, so we met up and had a look at one of his two ‘Birds & Bees’ crops. I reached a total of 29 Great Yellow Bumblebees (at least 16 were males), but given that I have maybe covered a quarter of the crop, perhaps 100 or more Great Yellows were using this crop! I had suspicions of two nests nearby. After some waiting at one site, where males were regularly exploring vole runs and holes in the ground (and interacting with each other), a queen emerged from underground. But this was a very worn old queen, so maybe she was just sheltering there? Clearly, the males don’t know the difference between an old and a new queen, which is interesting. Also here was a carder bee impaled on barbed wire. Orkney regularly receives off-course migrant birds, and shrikes occasionally feature. These ‘butcher birds’ frequently cache food by impaling them on thorns or on barbed wire fences, so I suspect one had visited the farm recently.

A final stop along the road, where there was a ‘Birds & Bees’ crop and also a lot of Lesser Knapweed along the roadside verge. There were similar numbers of Great Yellows along an approximate 200m section of each, 19 in the crop and 15 along the verge. However, workers predominated in the crop (mainly on the Fodder Radish, though one large worker was collecting pollen from Phacelia), but most of those on the Knapweed were males. It had cooled down a little by now, though hay-making continued apace on the farms, but in the morning the smaller workers had also been using the Fodder Radish. Possibly the small workers can nectar more efficiently at Fodder Radish (one even had a little yellow pollen, possibly from this flower) and the larger ones more efficiently at Phacelia. Having a range of wildflowers and crop flowers may reduce competition, as well as provide forage that smaller and larger workers can use more effectively.

8th August 2009

2009-08-10T20:33:00.000+01:00

An early start to help set up the stand at the Scottish Natural Heritage tent, with SNH staff and Historic Scotland Ranger Service providing bumblebee entertainment throughout the say, with badge- and mask-making, a bumblebee quiz (prize: a bumblebee nestbox), and a host of information to take away – including a cracking poster featuring a photo of the great Yellow Bumblebee by renowned wildlife photographer, Laurie Campbell. BBCT had a selection of material on offer, including a Great Yellow Bumblebee postcard, to stimulate people to record their sightings. Also launched was a flyer for the Species Action Framework (of which BBCT is a partner), as an accompaniment to our previous Farms, Crofts & Bumblebees leaflet, prepared with RSPB. The flyer draws attention to useful options under the new agri-environment scheme in Scotland, Rural Priorities (now in its second year). We did some more recording with Orkney Radio and for a Radio 4 programme, due for broadcast in the autumn. Star of the show had to be Erica from SEPA, who donned the giant bee suit twice during the day. Some Orkney ice cream helped with recuperation, as it was by now a very warm and busy day. Well done Erica! The Show also provided an opportunity to meet with Richard Shearer, a local seed merchant who is much involved in the ‘Birds & Bees’ crops, and in the trial clover mixes that BBCT have supported this year. Orkney is a wonderful example of how different organisations and individuals are working together to support the Great Yellow Bumblebee – a model system. Walking back from the site a few male White-tailed Bumblebees were in evidence along the roadsides, busy nectaring – sounded like a very good idea!

7th August 2009

2009-08-10T20:30:00.001+01:00

A busy morning, with various phone calls and meetings. I popped my head round the door at the Scottish Natural Heritage office, and found that the giant bee suit and other materials had arrived safely from the BBCT office, in readiness for the County Show tomorrow. Then a stop to meet Graham Scott of Scottish Agricultural College, and discuss some agri-environment measures and how the Trust can support Graham and his clients with their applications. Graham also has a ‘Birds & Bees’ mix on his land, so I hope to visit and confirm Great Yellow there.

I met up with Louise Bachelor for lunch, who had arrived to interview local farmer and bumblebee expert, John Crossley. I was representing the Trust, and there would be more recording with the bustle of the Show tomorrow. Still remarkably good weather and John said that last year had been good too, unlike most of mainland Scotland. It was a lovely day anyway, but having two good years in a row has hopefully helped nests rear daughter queens, and boost Great Yellow Bumblebee numbers. There were certainly plenty of Great Yellow Bumblebees, even visiting the Lesser Knapweed in John’s car park! We saw plenty of workers, another weary old queen, and at some Woundwort (a hybrid form predominates in Orkney) also saw a male, with its longer antennae. We also saw a few Moss Carder Bees among the more abundant Common Carder Bees, and several Heath Bumblebees, including one male. We also had time to look at a legume mix provided by BBCT, which had done well, but there was as yet no sign of the sainfoin or sweet clover coming through. However, the Common Vetch was flowering, and a pioneering Red Clover flower was visited by a Garden Bumblebee.

6th August 2009

2009-08-10T20:26:00.001+01:00

My day was good, but much more significant was a phone call in the evening from excited Highland Council Ranger, Paul Castle. He had found a Great Yellow Bumblebee worker at Melvich, on the Sutherland coast This is a brand new site for the bee, and in the 40km gap in the records between Scrabster and Bettyhill. Really superb news!

I was off to Orkney at lunchtime, so a couple of hours to check Sibster Farm, a recent Forestry Commission purchase. Graeme Findlay had kindly provided me with maps, so I was able to have a thorough look round in, yet again, glorious weather. As well as Common Carder, Early, White-tailed, Garden and White-tailed Bumblebees, there were two Great Yellows here too (on Spear and Marsh Thistle)! A large, slightly worn, carder bee on Spear Thistle was possibly Moss Carder, but fell into the category of unidentifiable. A Green Sandpiper flew up from a small pool, with its distinctive, melodic call – always a favourite of mine as they used to spend the winters on rivers where I grew up. Just enough time to check the wetter, marshy area, and as expected there was a change in the bumblebee community. I very quickly caught workers of both Heath and Broken-belted Bumblebees.

Off to Gills Bay for the ferry, stopping off to drop off a set of new BBCT ‘Great Yellow Bumblebee’ postcards at Seadrift, and a quick chat with Mary Legg, who had reported a series of spring queens this year. I had a few minutes to wait, so went off to check a patch of Marsh Woundwort (and intermingled Stinging Nettle!). And yes, you’ve guessed it, another Great Yellow Bumblebee, this time a worn, balding, old queen, poor thing.

The boat trip (on the new Pentalina catamaran) took about an hour, with a few Puffins and Great and Arctic Skuas. Young Kittiwakes and Arctic Terns were an encouraging sign, and a single Harbour Porpoise barely broke the water’s surface. The most surprising sight was a Marsh Harrier, outpacing the ferry, heading north to Orkney. In Kirkwall, I picked up a road-killed White-tailed Bumblebee before enjoying the delights of the Happy Haddock, accompanied by a couple of Eiders resting at the water’s edge.

5th August 2009

2009-08-10T20:19:00.001+01:00

Another day of exploration today, with a first stop at Broubster Leans, to look at the ‘Birds & Bees’ crop again. It was still fairly breezy, but not as strong as yesterday, with a lot more sunshine and warmth. I worked my way around the edge of the crop and after a few minutes was rewarded with a worker Great Yellow on Phacelia – success! I took some photos and immediately called Dave with the good news. I circumnavigated the crop and came across two more workers, the first a rather tired one, and the next busily collecting the deep blue Phacelia pollen. There were also Broken-belted Bumblebee workers collecting pollen at both Mustard and Phacelia, but unfortunately, on this visit at least, no Moss Carder Bee.

A great start to the day, and I carried on taking a lop on a B road that would eventually see me at yesterday’s red clover crop. I stopped at a few places near Scotscalder rail station, where there were good amounts of Great Yellow-friendly flowers, particularly the Marsh Woundwort again. I had a chat with a family who were intrigued by me and my net, so I told them about the Great Yellow Bumblebee and the importance of this part of Caithness. Shortly afterwards, I caught a Great Yellow (another worker) so nipped back up the road to show them. Good timing, as the farmer turned up in his tractor after a morning’s busy cutting.

I had just made it past Westerdale, near the old mill, when I pulled in and checked my phone. Dave Jones called, really chuffed at the Great Yellows at Broubster. As we were chatting, I saw a bumblebee land on a spear thistle at the side of the road. I nipped out of the car, explaining to Dave, and sure enough, it was a Great Yellow Bumblebee! Perhaps the southernmost record in Caithness for many years?! A quick stop to check an area rich in Lesser Knapweed and Marsh Thistle produced a small group of Broken-belted workers, but no Great Yellows, and then off to Milton to check the red clover. Seven minutes later, I was at the farmhouse door with my prize, another Great Yellow Bumblebee worker. This is a south-eastern extension to the known range, though admittedly small. However, the benefit of lots of flowers and good weather means that these past few days searching have confirmed the distribution of Great Yellows across a wide area of this part of Caithness, a suspicion suggested from the scatter of previous reports, and voiced recently by Scottish bumblebee expert Murdo Macdonald.

A final couple of stops this evening, as I met with three of the Ranger Service staff at Achscrabster Quarry, where the Great Yellow Bumblebees performed well. Then, on to a farm where I had recorded several Great Yellows last week, for a chat with Ian, the farmer. Late evening now (8:30), but stopped in the field out of interest, and saw two Great Yellow workers

4th August 2009

2009-08-04T21:58:00.001+01:00

A very windy, but mainly bright day. I met up with Dave Jones of RSPB in the morning, and we looked at Achscrabster quarry. The site didn’t let us down, and it was nice to have an independent witness to one of my Great Yellow sightings. We had a quick look at Broubster Leans, where RSPB have a ‘Birds & Bees’ crop, Phacelia providing the main pollen and nectar interest. A White-tailed Bumblebee worker had ‘blue balloons’ on its legs – presumably Phacelia pollen collected to the pollen baskets. Harebell pollen is also rather light blue and two of the Broken-belteds elsewhere had collected this. We saw a few bees (including Northern White-tailed and Heath Bumblebee queens) before the rain came on, and Dave had to meet up with colleagues at Dunnet Head – a new information post there has just opened up, and made page 4 of the Press and Journal!

I decided to test the quarry hypothesis again, and headed to Stonegun south of Castletown. Unbelievably, the first bumblebee I saw was a Great Yellow, this time on Lesser Knapweed. A sheltered patch of Marsh Woundwort had abundant Garden Bumblebees and another Great Yellow worker, this one carrying pollen. Are they in the quarries because they are sheltered, flower-rich, provide nest-sites, or a combination of all three. Dave had mentioned that Kidney Vetch, an important spring forage plant for queens, would probably do well in a quarry and it didn’t take long to find a clump, albeit now gone to seed.

Further south, I ran out of quarries, but a good roadside patch of Marsh Woundwort did provide another Great Yellow worker another 4km SE of the quarry. At the border with the next 10km square, a field of flowering red clover caught my eye. This could draw in a Great Yellow, and it could be the most southerly recent record. I met the farmer, a young chap who was very interested and helpful, and I walked the edge of the field slowly. The wind was a real problem, but I’m fairly sure there was a Great Yellow flying away from me. I needed 100% confirmation, so can’t claim it. The wind is due to drop, and move round to the south, so I may have another chance – but the crop will be cut for hay this week!

3rd August 2009

2009-08-04T21:55:00.000+01:00

Another mobile day, but starting bright and calm. I visited Gavin and Kay Lockhart at Skerray, where they have a flower-rich meadow. A good range of bumblebees, including the Broken-belted again, with tea, oatcakes and homemade blackcurrant jam!

Next to Armadale again, but the wind had really picked up. There were very few bumblebees, but hundreds of honey bees, nearly all on the Lesser Knapweed. Honey bees have short tongues, and would generally overlap little with Great Yellow Bumblebees in their use of flowers (white clover is an example of a flower they both use). However, the Lesser Knapweed seems important for both at this time of year. Whether there would be competition for resources is unknown, but is possible, given 50,000 workers in a honey bee hive compared with maybe 40 in a Great Yellow Bumblebee nest. Both are present at Oldshoremore - though there are fewer honey bees there. There is some research showing that other bumblebee species perform more poorly the closer they are to honey bee hives, but the species studied were short-tongued species. A tricky question, this, whether honey bee hives should be regulated where rare bumblebees are present.

Back into Caithness, and a patch of Marsh Woundwort at the roadside near Janetstown (the one near Thurso!) promted a stop. It was windy, and in similar conditions in Orkney last year (Sanday) a similar patch held 27 Garden Bumblebees, 3 Moss Carders (no Common Carders on Sanday!) and a Great Yellow. Since the Marsh Woundwort is often in ditches, it follows that it is a bit more sheltered, and the plant is rather robust, and stands up reasonably well in the wind. Bees were certainly present, mostly Garden Bumblebees. However, after a few miuntes of slow ‘verge crawling’, I spotted Great Yellow Bumblebee worker – fantastic! Trying to get closer I inevitably slid gracelessly into the ditch and by the time I had extricated myself the bee was away. I fetched the GPS from the car and walked back, and found either the same (or another?) worker Great Yellow about 25m further along. We were in the 10km square ND06 – a new ‘hectad’ for Great Yellow Bumblebee?? If so, this would represent a westward extension of the range in Caithness, though admittedly by only 2km. I was close to the B&B, so dropped my bags off and chatted with Barbara, whose family farm in the area. Looking at the map, I noticed a disused quarry site near ‘my’ ditch. Could this provide a refuge for Great Yellow Bumblebees, and could their use of quarries (for famous Caithness stone) partly explain the scatter of records inland. I looked for the next nearest quarry, at Achscrabster. Sure enough, a large patch of Marsh Woundwort held not just one, but two Great Yellow workers. These were another 4km south, and another 2m (!) further west by the GPS. I carried on, looking for more Marsh Woundwort. Near Skiall, there were large patches on both sides of the road, but no Great Yellows. Driving away, I slowly went by another patch more at eye level and had to stop sharply – another Great Yellow worker! This one was more than 5km further west, almost into grid square NC. So, Teresa is perhaps fully justified in being sure that the Great Yellow Bumblebee discovered in her car had not come from her garden in Thurso!

A celebratory fish supper at Scrabster Harbour, where Twite buzzed conversationally and another Broken-belted Bumblebee worker nearly allowed an ‘in focus’ photo opportunity.

2nd August 2009

2009-08-04T21:46:00.001+01:00

I woke early, following a truly excellent meal at the Strathy Inn, which boasts an impressive selection of bottled ales, including Scottish specialities such as Lia Fail. I had a quick look at Strathy Bay, which had looked very promising for Great Yellow Bumblebee in spring. However, sheep had been in and nipped most of the flowerheads off the knapweed, which had provided a colourful carpet last August. Such a shame on the bee front, but the real environmental vandals were the bright sparks who had decided to burn their tent among the dunes, rather than take it away. A patch of Marsh Thistle at Baligill produced a couple of Broken-belted Bumblebees, but then the rain began and it was back for breakfast. A friendly couple from Austria were also staying; their first trip to Scotland. They were off to hopefully see Puffins at Dunnet Head, but I gambled and headed into the oncoming rain, with a chance that by the time I reached the Sandwood Estate by Kinlochbervie, it would be clear. The gamble paid off, but the marram was still wet and it was only after about 3 p.m. that the temperature rose and bee activity slowly improved. By now, I had spent three hours at Oldshoremore without success (though a Moss Carder and several Colletes succinctus were here), which was worrying – this was where I saw a queen Great Yellow at the end of June. I tried Polin Bay, for a beak, and within 15 minutes I had caught a Great Yellow flying by. Like Halkirk, this looked like a new queen. I let her go and with a deep buzz she was away at speed. Some time later, I was in a sheltered area where bees were active, and noticed a worker Great Yellow on Greater Knapweed. Relief! We had seen none here at the end of June. Buoyed by this, and by the sight of some gorgeous Ringed Plover chicks, I went back to Oldshoremore. A bee flew by that looked good, I caught it, and yes, a Great Yellow worker. I heard voices and saw a family heading back to the car park, so showed them the bee (in a tube) and they took some pictures. The bee was let go in afterwards, of course!

So, a long day, but three Great Yellows in nearly six hours – I was happy with that!

1st August 2009

2009-08-04T21:40:00.001+01:00

In Bettyhill, there were a few dark clouds but largely bright, thankfully. I had a quick look along the River Naver at Aird, where there was abundant Lesser Knapweed flowering. The breeze had picked up, but in a sheltered area there was a worker Great Yellow Bumblebee, so all very encouraging for this year’s nesting season. However, then I received a message from Paul, as it was chucking it down in Caithness and should we go ahead. I reassured him and shortly after, five of us were searching the Glebe and saw three Great Yellow Bumblebee workers. We also got to grips with the difficult Broken-belted Bumblebee, but a carder bee defied identification, though was possibly a Moss Carder. Gordon, who had come over from Caithness, kindly sent through some pictures of the first Great Yellow. So, a very successful walk indeed!

The Gala was a busy, colourful affair, and our stall was popular with children making their Plaster-of-Paris model fossils and seashells. We had some seed packets to help ‘save the wee bees’ and handed these out, along with bumblebee information and leaflets about Farr Glebe. Excellent barbecue and strawberries and cream, very well priced!

Slightly exhausted, we packed up, and en route to the Strathy Inn I nipped in at Armadale to look at the habitat there, which had looked promising in the spring. Of most interest, however, were some solitary bees, relatives of the rare Northern Colletes on Tiree and the Western Isles, going by the name of Colletes succinctus.

31st July 2009

2009-08-04T21:27:00.000+01:00

This was intended to be a computer day, but with warm sunshine and virtually no wind, I felt obliged to check a couple of places I had passed by yesterday evening. I met Kenny, a local farmer, fixing a fence that the cattle had been rubbing themselves up against – a thing they do.

I was a couple of miles inland from Dunnet Bay, where there have been occasional great Yellow Bumblebee sightings. I was also near Barrock, where Mary Legg had seen not just one, but two queens in the garden this spring. Along the roadside, there were plenty of useful flowers, and several bees, but temptation got the better of me, and I looked into a field with a fair bit of Marsh Thistle – a more acceptable species that the frequently problematic Spear and Creeping Thistles. Within half-an-hour I had recorded seven bumblebee species, a terrific number for one Caithness field. The three Buff-tailed Bumblebees (including one new queen) reinforced the view that this species is rapidly establishing itself in the far north-east corner of Scotland. However, Great Yellow Bumblebees were the stars, with five (!) workers, all visiting either Marsh Thistle or Spear Thistle. Also present was a worker Moss Carder Bee (another UK BAP species) and a Broken-belted Bumblebee – the subject of a Species Recovery programme in England, but with a stronghold in the Scottish Highlands. I reported my success to Kenny, still hard at work fencing. He was glad to take a break and pointed out another bumblebee on a Spear Thistle. I couldn’t believe it, another Great Yellow Bumblebee, and this one was clearly a male, with long antennae and a long abdomen. Clear signs of a successful nest – so let’s hope it will also produce many daughter queens.

After some lunch at the Park Hotel in Thurso, where I was kindly allowed to hook up to their WiFi connection and complete my computer duties, it was off to Sutherland and the Bettyhill Gala. I was leading a walk with Paul Castle at Farr Glebe in the morning, before the main festivities kicked off, and Paul had now reported up to four Great Yellow Bumblebee workers there. Sounded very promising – if the weather would hold! An evening stroll with a bite to eat quickly yielded a worker Great Yellow Bumblebee on Greater Knapweed. Now it was all down to the weather!

30th July 2009

2009-08-04T21:24:00.014+01:00

This morning, a quick check around the farm at West Murkle, in readiness for a visiting group of professional folk from the local Scottish Government agriculture department, the Scottish Agricultural College, and Scottish Natural Heritage. An independent ecologist also was coming along, as well as the Caithness LBAP officer, Phyllida Sayles. Would we see a Great Yellow Bumblebee..? I had a chat with Andrew Campbell, the farmer here, and a good look round revealed all the right kinds of flowers, including the very attractive Devil’s-bit Scabious, and a number of bumblebee species. Sadly, no Great Yellow Bumblebees deigned to appear today, which invites the question, why do we not have a reliable site for the species in Caithness, despite the broad scatter of records? Finally, I popped into Seadrift at Dunnet Bay to see Highland Council Ranger, Mary Legg, and was pleasantly surprised to meet one of our Stirling University Environmental Science students, doing some summer work and busy preparing craft dragonflies for an event tomorrow!

27th July 2009

2009-08-04T21:24:00.013+01:00

Now 4 Great Yellow Bumblebee workers at Farr Glebe, Bettyhill, seen by Paul Castle. Really good news.

24th July 2009

2009-08-04T21:24:00.011+01:00

An exciting opportunity to further strengthen our working relationship with the RSPB, joint lead partners under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan for the Great Yellow Bumblebee. The Great Yellow benefits from the management o a number of reserves, and through the management agreements the Society holds with farmers and crofters. The RSPB does a tremendous amount of work with land managers, and has also carried out revealing research with Great Yellow Bumblebee. Rob Sheldon, reserves manager for Scotland arrived for a chat, to draft an agreement for further partnership working.