The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Please could I ask members of the site to keep an eye out for the new colonist bumblebee Bombus hypnorum? It is really important to plot the spread of this species which first arrived naturally in the UK in 2001.

There have been plenty of records coming in this year in a broad band from Southampton to Huntingdon, with the majority in the Northern home counties. There have been a couple recent reports of them turning up in Northumberland and Yorkshire, so they could turn up anywhere now.

The bee is very easy to identify.
Bombus hypnorum pic: http://www.bwars.com/bombus_hypnorum.htm

Thorax: GINGER
Abdomen: BLACK
Tail: SNOW WHITE

It shares this colour pattern with no other European bumblebee.
It is about the same size as the Early bumblebee - Bombus pratorum.

It is catholic in its choice of habitats, but is very comfortable in close proximity to man. It readily takes to nesting in aerial birds nest boxes.

Thanks for your help

Alan