Tree Bumblebee at Castle Espie: A Sign of Changing Times
A relatively recent addition to our bumblebee fauna at Castle Espie has been the Tree Bumblebee. It seems its expansion north has been driven by climate change and is steadily colonising the country. First discovered in County Antrim 10 years ago, this distinctive bumblebee has slowly expanded its range and can now be found widely with its main strongholds in Counties Down and Antrim.
The bee has a ginger-brown thorax, a black abdomen and a white tail, making it distinctive amongst our other local bumblebees, and can be see flying from March to September. It can be seen visiting a variety of flowers from dandelions to hawthorn, and is reputed to be an excellent pollinator or fruiting trees***.
The bee can be found utilising the many of the habitats on the reserve at Castle Espie and unlike our other bumblebees, it nests above ground and in tree holes and other suitable places including bird boxes. Efforts to improve standing and lying deadwood in our woodland habitats, as well as the variety of flowers on the reserve will provide opportunity for this bumblebee to nest and flourish here.
Unfortunately, our native bumblebees are not doing so well. We have 21 species of wild bumblebee in Ireland* as around 30% of European bumblebees are presently red-listed as threatened with extinction**. If you see the Tree Bumblebee or any other bee species please report it as this will aid in the conservation of these precious species.
* Source National Biodiversity Data Centre
**Source European Red List of Bees
***Source Bumblebee Conservation Trust
