The Bumblebee - A Friend to Humankind

Bumblebees

 

Much beloved by the inhabitants of the British Isles, the bumblebee is a familiar and deservedly welcome visitor to our gardens. An insect of considerable charisma these furry-bodied creatures form a quintessential element in British summertime. With sadness, however, we may reflect that owing to a combination of the preponderance of paved gardens and intensive agriculture they are struggling to survive. With sadness indeed, and with an eye to expediency and survival do we lament their waning: all other life depends on our state of collective, natural symbiosis.

24 species of bumblebee are found in the UK. The wheels have been put into motion of a scheme to reintroduce the Short-haired bumblebee. Within the last eighty years two species of our symbiotic counterparts have become extinct for a simple reason verified by aggregated data: fewer flowers now grow in the countryside than had formerly been the case. Consequently, the provision of the necessary nectar and pollen required to propagate the survival of the bumblebee is found wanting

The outlook on this apparently alarming matter is not so bleak – you can take action to promote their survival!

Let’s, first, look at what distinguishes the bumblebee from the other insects, which at first glance might be mistaken to bear similarity. For the majority of people, bees in general are instantly recognisable. Closer study has revealed distinct differences between bumblebees, honeybees and solitary bees. Bumblebees are larger and hairier than their cousins. With this comparative extra insulation they are ideally suited to a colder climate. Where a honeybee will stay safely inside on a cold day, a bumblebee will continue to work in our gardens, hedgerows and across the land. The nests of bumblebees are small; they are therefore unable to store large amounts of honey. Consequently, they are far more sensitive to the availability of pollen from flowers rich in nectar.

Another distinguishing feature of the bumblebee is their aromatic feet. They retain a scent on their feet which enables them to leave a signal on flowers to other bumblebees indicating that those already visited flowers contain little nectar or pollen. Subsequent bumblebees will then know to avoid expending the energy required to land and investigate.

Bumblebees are distinct from wasps and honeybees – although they may potentially be confused – in that they do not swarm and are not aggressive. Only the female of the species is able to sting, and they usually do so in the circumstance that they perceive an exceptional threat.

Bumblebees may be further distinguished from other species in that they have uniquely evolved ‘buzz pollination’. This process involves the bee grabbing the flower and producing a high- pitched buzz. The rapid vibration of this high-pitched buzz releases pollen that would otherwise remain trapped within the flower. Tomato plants are pollinated in this way.

If you find a bumblebee stranded and apparently exhausted it is advisable to provide a small amount of sugar-water solution. The bee will consume it and will be revived.

The bumblebee is a social insect living, typically, in nests of up to four hundred individuals. A nest of bumblebees is governed by a queen. Where a honeybee nest will operate actively for several years, a nest of bumblebees lasts for a duration of one year only. Early in spring the queen bee emerges from a state of hibernation to initiate a new nest. She will, firstly, build her energy reserves by collecting pollen and finding flowers rich in nectar. Once this has been accomplished, she will locate a suitable site for the nest (they rarely nest in the same location in consecutive years) and rear her first batch of eggs – these eggs will hatch to emit a group of female workers who will be tasked with feeding and nurturing the colony. This process is continually repeated throughout the summer months. The queen herself will rarely leave the nest. At the end of the summer the queen produces males and new queens. After mating the males die along with the old queens and workers. The survivors are, as you might expect, the new fertilised queens who hibernate throughout winter and emerge in the spring to establish new nests.

 

What can you do to help?

Taken together British gardens cover more than 1 million acres of land. Whether your garden is small or large, you can make a significant contribution to the ongoing survival of bumblebees by ensuring that you have lots of bee-friendly flowers throughout the year. Such flowers must be rich in pollen and nectar of course. Ornamental plants commonly found in gardens such as pansies and begonias are of no use to bumblebees. They are a delight to behold, but produce very little pollen or nectar. At Key West Pest Control, our concern to promote the survival of the bumblebee is such that we would urge you to introduce pollen and nectar rich flowers such as foxgloves, geraniums, wild roses, herbs and lavender. You will find that there are literally hundreds of different kinds of beautiful flowering plants available to you and your garden.

You can also help simply by telling others about it – raising awareness. Why not share this blog post to your facebook pages and twitter streams? It can’t hurt, and might help.