Latest news with #bumblebee
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Wiltshire in Pictures: Bees, parks and Longleat's mazes
There is a distinctly natural feel to this week's Wiltshire in Pictures, with a bumblebee duo, maze trimming and an award-winning park all featuring in the week has also seen the completion of a walking sports festival in Melksham and a celebration of businesses which support Special Educational Needs Education (Send) in is some of the best pictures from across the county this week. Blooming marvellous: A historic Wiltshire park has been recognised for its exceptional management and environmental standards. Swindon's Town Gardens has received a Green Flag Award for 2025-26, which has recognised its well-maintained Victorian features and active community engagement programmes. A-maze-ing: A team of 12 gardeners have completed a weeklong hedge cut on the gigantic Longleat maze. The maze, which is made up of more than 16,000 English yew trees, is one of the largest in the world and needs regular attention, but can only be trimmed at certain times of the year. Game, set and stroll: More than 90 people laced up their trainers and joined the fun at a Walking Sports Festival held at Melksham Community Campus on Sunday. The free event gave people of all ages and abilities the chance to try out walking versions of tennis, rugby, football, netball and badminton. County roads, take me home: With the county's fields at their golden peak, Weather Watcher Chully was able to capture this shot of a pristine Calne morning earlier in the week. Over the ridge: Another of our Weather Watchers has been busy in the south of the county, with Broad Chalke's majestic hillsides captured by Lupin. True colours: With the wetter weather at the start of the week, observant photographers had the opportunity to capture a number of fleeting rainbows, such as this one in Malmesbury. Stellar support: 16 companies across Wiltshire have been recognised by Wiltshire Council for their outstanding support in offering workplace opportunities to young people with Council's Send Employer Champion Scheme celebrated its one-year anniversary with companies from across the county being acknowledged.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
JOHN MACLEOD: Hairy and dishevelled, bopping along as if sozzled...but hum of the bumblebee is truly the voice of our gardens
'The hum of bees is the voice of the garden,' mused the late Elizabeth Lawrence, internationally known garden writer – and she spoke not of the industrious, humourless honey-bee, merely a unit in in a hive of fantastically ordered complexity and its one loyalty to the Reich. She meant the bumblebee, meandering gently about, never in a rush, loath to sting. Hairy and dishevelled, it bounces off windows and bops, as if a little sozzled, amidst delphiniums and buddleia and honeysuckle and the bonny purple heather. The Victorians rather sweetly called them 'humblebees.' In Old English, they were 'dumbledores' – yes, that's where she got it – and the Romans thought them creatures of the Muses. To our Celtic forebears, they were messages from the heavens. And, even today, some superstitions endure. A bumblebee flying into your house, they do say, heralds some important, forthcoming visitor. They portend luck and sweetness; a bumblebee landing on your hand declares that you are about to come into money. And, chilled and ponderous as a bumblebee might seem – less the maniacal jiving of the honeybee advising the hive of abundant good things at such-and-such a location than embarrassing Dad-dancing at a wedding – it is supremely efficient. Its four wings beat two hundred times a second; it thunders like an exquisitely tuned guitar-string – and it is the only living thing capable of pollinating a tomato plant. Accordingly, great commercial growers important thousands of boxes of bumblebees each year, sourced largely from France and Belgium and where they are commercially farmed, for their glasshouses. Bumblebees do not make honey: they do not need to, for a colony lasts but one long summer. Only the fattest hibernating queens, holed up in some crevice, survive winter – and her first mission, understandably, is to feed. Duly regaled with nectar from the first spring flowers, and protein-rich pollen from catkins and fluffy pussywillow, she then seeks out some des res – most species like to repurpose a fieldmouse's burrow – moulds some waxy cups, stores therein garnered nectar and pollen-balls, and lays her first eggs. Larvae duly pupbate and, just like that, she now commands a troop of workers – all girls; and the only thing that might go amiss is the invasion of a queen of some cuckoo bumblebee species, who usually kills (or, in rare mercy, enslaves) the original queen. What no queen will tolerate is a worker laying her own eggs. Her Majesty, naturally hurt as well as cross, promptly eats them. It is in only late summer, and doubtless with a world-weary sigh, that boys are begotten: lazy, laddish and stingless and only the luckiest getting to mate. 'He does nothing except stay out all night,' darkly confides Gill Perkins of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, 'get drunk on nectar and look for sex.' It might as well be a hall of residence. There are only seven relatively common species of bumblebee you are likely to see in Britain, and the biggest, the Great Yellow Bumblebee – 'like big, fat flying ping-pong balls,' enthuses Mrs Perkins – is now confined to the far north. Caithness, Sutherland, Orkney – and the Western Isles where, too, we can boast a unique bumblebee sub-species. A small heath bumblebee, bombus jonellus var. hebridensis. All told, though, there are twenty-four species in this country, as the late and peerless Bernard Levin enthused in a column published, rather sweetly, on 9 July 1975 – a precise half-century ago. He had just read Dr D V Alford's definitive work on the subject, published by Davis-Poynter for the eyewatering price, at that time, of £25, and imaginatively entitled Bumblebees. 'They go by names of such variegated magnificence,' panted Levin, 'such exquisitely poetic beauty, that I must introduce you to a selection. 'There is bombus agrorum, for instance, who is obviously a rustic bumblebee, forever sucking straws and leaning over gates; there is bombus americanorum, who, no doubt, chews gum; bombus distinguendus, who comes of a very old family of bumblebees, and bombus elegans, who only goes to the best tailors. 'Bombus frigidus, a very reserved bumblebee; bombus hortorum hortorum, who stammers; bombus inexpectatus, who is apt to pop out from behind lampposts and cry 'Boo!'; bombus senilis, poor old thing… 'And bombus virginalis, or so she says.' But all is not well for bumblebees. 2024 was the worst year for their numbers in Britain since records began. A big factor, of course, was its extraordinarily bad spring, with – according to the Meteorological Office – many areas receiving more than double, and in some places triple, the usual amount of rainfall for March, April and May. Untold, emerging queens were chilled, starved and clobbered just at the frailest point of bumblebee life – when a season's new colonies are being established by assorted single mums. Though conditions improved, even July and August saw their second-worst counts since Bumblebee Conservation Trust monitoring began. 'We've got smaller, weaker populations of a lot of these bumblebees,' says Dr Richard Comont, 'because of long-term habitat changes. We know that bumblebees were struggling anyway and smaller, weaker populations are less able to respond to changes: they don't have that resilience. 'Although there's loads of bumblebees in midsummer, they all come from very small numbers that emerge from hibernation in the spring.' Protracted heatwaves – remember the scorcher that was 2022, so protracted that in many districts it triggered a 'false autumn'? – also jeopardise bumblebee colonies. Queens and workers routinely 'thermoregulate,' fanning eggs and larvae when things hot up, but if the thermometer hits 35 degrees or more then all is lost. For almost the greatest paradox of bumblebees is that they are creatures of temperate climes, not tropical - at their most abundant in territory like the Alps and Britain and the cool summers of the Outer Hebrides. There are even some that live in the Arctic, like bombus polaris. ('Said to have nuclear mandibles,' purred Bernard Levin.) But still greater threats are neonicotinoid pesticides – which dramatically reduce a queen's egg-laying success – and even a 26% fall is enough, in many instances, for local extinction. Climate change and heavy metal pollution, as we reported yesterday, are even affecting how bumblebees hum, according to experts – and humming is vital in teasing such flowers as the tomato to open up for a visit. The simple destruction of habitat, though, long predates such toxins. Since 1950 we have lost, incredibly, 97% of Britain's wildflower meadows – largely due to modern intensified farming – and with dire ecological consequence. One reason that bumblebees still prosper in the Western Isles is because of the lowkey crofting agriculture – Hebrideans do not scamper around spraying things – and because of the fabled machair, the rich coastal shell-sand grazings which, at this season, are a riot of sweet, scented, blossom. I fully understand why neighbours mow their lawns, but wince when they go above and beyond and strim the roadside verges too. And when, several months ago, the northern verge the length of my street was churned up by BT – laying the kit for high-speed broadband – I quietly ordered in some wildflower seed and did much discreet evening sowing. Poppy, cornflower, yellow rattle, ox-eye daisy and so on. A summer without bumblebees is, for me, unthinkable. And, as French mathematician André Sainte-Laguë once joyously reflected, 'According to aerodynamic laws, the bumblebee cannot fly. Its bodyweight is not the right proportion to its wingspan. 'Ignoring these laws, the bee flies anyway.'
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Bees are losing their buzz! Warmer weather reduces frequency and pitch of wing vibrations, researchers warn
There's nothing quite like the gentle buzz of a bumblebee to let you know summer's approaching. But the distinct hum could soon become a rarity – as climate change is reducing the frequency and pitch of wing vibrations, according to scientists. Experts warned this could have consequences for the effectiveness of bee communication and their role as pollinators. And it could be bad news for the nation's tomatoes, blueberries and honeysuckle plants. A team from Uppsala University in Sweden analysed colonies of buff-tailed bumblebees – one of the most numerous bumblebee species in Europe and the UK. They used accelerometers to measure the frequency and audible pitch of the bees' buzz, specifically focusing on the sounds they make when they aren't flying. Analysis showed that bees were affected by both increased temperatures and exposure to heavy metals, with their muscles contracting less during buzzing. This led to fewer wing vibrations at a reduced audible pitch – suggesting the buzz might not be so loud. 'People have been long interested in how insect flight muscles work, as these muscles power the most efficient flight systems in nature,' Dr Charlie Woodrow, one of the study's authors, said. 'However, many do not know that bees use these muscles for functions other than flight.' These important non-flight muscle vibrations are used in communication, defence and buzz-pollination, he explained. 'Buzz pollination is an incredible behaviour whereby a bee will curl its body around the pollen-concealing anthers of some flowers and contract the flight muscles up to 400 times per second to produce vibrations which shake the pollen loose,' he said. Many common garden plants rely on buzz pollination including tomatoes, blueberries and honeysuckle. They said their findings could help to identify the species or regions most at risk. 'Perhaps buzzes could even be used as a marker of stress or environmental change,' Dr Woodrow said. 'For example, we now know that certain environmental pollutants can affect the buzzes bees produce, so they could even serve as an indicator of ecosystem health. 'If these vibrations are disrupted, this could lead to poor communication in the colony, inefficient thermoregulation, or poor resource acquisition for their offspring.' A reduction in buzz pollination could also have potentially serious consequences for plant reproduction and biodiversity. If the environment gets too warm then bees may simply choose to avoid buzz-pollinated flowers, Dr Woodrow explained. The research was presented at the Society for Experimental Biology Annual Conference in Antwerp, Belgium. WHAT IS THE HONEYBEE CRISIS? Honeybees, both domestic and wild, are responsible for around 80 per cent of worldwide pollination, according to Greenpeace. But bee colony collapses across the globe are threatening their vital work. Bees are dying from a combination of pesticides, habitat destruction, drought, nutrition deficit, global warming and air pollution among other factors. Greenpeace has reported: 'The bottom line is that we know humans are largely responsible for the two most prominent causes: Pesticides and habitat loss.' This is important for a number of reasons, chief among them the amount of work bees put into our food production. Vegetables, nuts and fruits are pollinated by bees. Of the top human food crops, a whopping 70 of 100 are pollinated by the creatures, which account for as much as 90 per cent of global nutrition. Greenpeace has suggested the following solutions to the problem:
Irish Times
31-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
No-mow May pays off with a buzzing garden
I did as advised and let my dandelions grow during May and was rewarded by a visit from this large bumblebee. Which species is it? Catherine McCarthy, Carrick-on-Suir Well done for letting your dandelions flourish. They are a rich source of pollen and nectar for bees . This is the common carder bee, which has a ginger orange thorax. It has a mixture of colours on the abdomen but there are always black hairs on the abdomen of this species that help to distinguish it from the less common large carder bee, which has no black hairs. The common carder makes nests from moss on the ground. These can contain up to 200 bees at peak population, which are very much smaller than honeybee colonies. Sea pink flowers. Photograph: Walter O'Dwyer I saw these wonderful pink flowers growing in large clumps along the coast near Clonakilty in April. What are they and are they native to this country? Walter O'Dwyer, Dublin This is the sea pink or thrift – Armeria maritima. It is a native species and can occur in great sheets of colour on cliff and salt marshes. It has long roots that enable it to seek out fresh water in dry conditions, and it can tolerate high concentrations of salt in the soil. It flowers in April and early May. READ MORE Viviparous lizard. Photograph: Willie Campbell Our cat recently brought this lizard to the door. There was also a smaller dead one at the door a couple of weeks ago. I'm wondering are they native? Willie Campbell, Co Galway Is there no end to the wanton marauding of the domestic feline? This poor lizard was probably sunning itself in an effort to raise its body temperature sufficiently to get going in the morning – it being a cold-blooded creature needing environmental heat. We have just the one native lizard – the viviparous lizard, so-called because it overcomes the risk of living in this cold country by giving birth to live young. What actually happens is that it lays eggs that immediately hatch. There is no placental attachment as in mammals. [ No-mow May pays off with a buzzing garden Opens in new window ] Cuckoo flower with orange tip butterfly. Photograph: A Donovan These pale mauve flowers are growing in the wetter parts of the grassy area in my garden. In early May I saw this butterfly on the flower. Can you tell me what is going on here? A Donovan, Letterkenny This flower, Cardamine pratensis or lady's smock, is also known as the cuckoo flower because the cuckoo has arrived by the time it is in flower. Its natural habitat is wet damp grassland, and it will appear in the absence of mowing. It is the food plant for the caterpillars of the orange-tip butterfly, whose Latin name, Anthocharis cardamines, reflects this fact. Even in the world of butterflies, beautiful colours are not equally distributed – only males have the lovely bright orange tips on their forewings. The hardworking, egg-laying females have just black tips on the white forewings but are distinguished from the cabbage-guzzling large and small whites by having green and white undersides to the back wings. [ Live near a town? Got food or smelly shoes? Foxes and badgers may pay you a visit Opens in new window ] Male stonechat. Photograph: John Glynn Here is a picture of a stonechat, which I saw in the Caher river valley near Fanore in Co Clare at the end of April. John Glynn, Co Clare This is a lovely picture of a male stonechat not yet in full breeding plumage. When it is, the males have a very black head, striking white neck patches and a bright orange breast. The females (wouldn't you just know) are a much duller version of this flamboyant colour scheme. The 'song', which both sexes produce, sounds exactly like two stones being banged together. It is a native species of scrubby uplands with furze. Please submit your nature query, observation, or photo, with a location, via or by email to weekend@
Washington Post
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Cannes promotional stunts, once a feature of the festival, go missing
CANNES, France — You can get nostalgic about almost anything at the Cannes Film Festival , even Jerry Seinfeld on a zip line in a bumblebee costume. For many years, Cannes has played host not just to an endless stream of artistically ambitious movies, but also to some of Hollywood's most extreme promotional gambits. With so many films packed into the 12-day festival, and with much of the world watching, there are high stakes to standing out in Cannes.
