23 July 2026
Two Orkney nature reserves have been recognised for their vital role in protecting one of Scotland’s rarest bumblebees during a visit by the Scottish Parliament’s newest Nature Champion for the species.
Darryl Cox, Liam McArthur, Joshua Wells
Liam McArthur MSP, Nature Champion for the Great Yellow bumblebee, joined staff from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and RSPB Scotland in July to present Great Yellow bumblebee “champion site” awards to RSPB Brodgar and RSPB Onziebust.
The awards celebrate places where the Great Yellow bumblebee is present, actively being monitored and supported through land management which provides the flower-rich habitat and nesting areas this scarce species needs.
With its distinctive large, bright yellow body and single black stripe across the middle of its thorax, the Great Yellow bumblebee was once widespread across the UK, but is now found only in the far north and west of Scotland, on Orkney and in some of the Hebridean islands.
Great Yellow bumblebee. Credit: Pieter Haringsma
Set beside the iconic Ring of Brodgar, RSPB Brodgar offered a fitting setting for the award presentation. Orkney remains one of the best places in the UK to see the Great Yellow bumblebee, with farms, reserves and coastal grasslands helping to sustain the species through extensive wildflower-rich habitat.
During the visit, Liam learned how to catch, identify and record bumblebees, and heard how RSPB Scotland manages meadows to keep them buzzing with pollinators. The reserve was alive with bumblebee activity, including good numbers of the rare Moss carder bumblebee alongside several more common species.
The guest of honour, however, took a little longer to appear. After a determined search through midges, horseflies and Orkney summer vegetation, the group’s patience was rewarded when a Great Yellow bumblebee queen appeared on a patch of knapweed, giving Liam his first encounter with the species he now champions.
Liam McArthur MSP first Great Yellow bumblebee sighting
Liam McArthur MSP said: “It was brilliant to get a first glimpse of the Great Yellow bumblebee. Orkney is such an important place for Scotland’s rarest bumblebee, and one of the few remaining places people can see them.
“As the new Nature Champion for the Great Yellow bumblebee in the Scottish Parliament, I was also delighted to be able to award two Orkney RSPB reserves with ‘champion site’ status for the work they are doing to ensure their sites are managed with Great yellows in mind.”
Darryl Cox, Senior Science and Policy Officer at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, said: “Orkney is a remarkable place for bumblebees. Across the islands, farmers, land managers and conservation organisations are helping to maintain the flower-rich habitats that species like the Great yellow bumblebee depend on.
“It was fantastic to welcome Liam to Brodgar and give him the opportunity to see first-hand both the challenges and opportunities involved in conserving and monitoring one of Scotland’s most iconic insects. Having a dedicated Nature Champion in the Scottish Parliament helps raise awareness of the action needed to protect Great Yellows and the habitats they rely on.”
Joshua Wells, Orkney Area Operations & Delivery Manager at RSPB Scotland, said: “RSPB Brodgar and Onziebust are important places for wildlife, and we’re delighted to receive Great Yellow bumblebee champion site status in recognition of the work taking place on both reserves.
“Partnerships are essential for nature recovery, and it was great to welcome Liam to Brodgar to showcase the conservation work taking place in Orkney to support pollinators and other wildlife.”
Liam’s visit formed part of Scottish Environment LINK’s Nature Champions programme, which pairs MSPs with species and habitats they are passionate about. By connecting parliamentarians with conservationists and local projects, the initiative helps ensure that Scotland’s wildlife has a voice in political decision-making.
For the Great yellow bumblebee, that voice matters. In Orkney, where wildflower meadows still hum with life, the Champion Site awards recognise the people and places helping to secure a future for this rare and remarkable insect.