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Bee-wildering Wandering
Posted: 1st June 2011
As well as dedicating over 55 acres of land to create Bumblebee havens we are also undertaking regular surveys (BeeWalks) for the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Along with hundreds of other volunteers across the country, we are helping create a picture of the Bumblebee population as well as seeing how effective conservation measures are being. Once a month we spend a few hours slowly walking set routes around our land at Kidwelly and Narberth trying to identify and count the various Bumblebees we encounter.
Our first walk, at the end of April, was exciting but quite relaxing. There weren’t many Bumbles out and about and, as they were all queens newly emerged from hibernation, all we had to do was figure out the species. Bumblebees are delightful creatures, not at all aggressive and, if you are lucky, don’t move too fast when they are feeding. They are totally focused on collecting pollen and seem to go into an almost trance-like state on plants with high pollen load; A nice easy start for a couple of bumbling Bumble novices.
Last week I set off on my second survey, alone this time as my partner in bees was otherwise occupied. What a difference a month makes! The warm weather has really brought on the pollen bearing plants and the bees have been making the most of them. The gardens around our offices in Kidwelly are managed organically and we always make sure there are lots of bee-friendly plants in it. Just below the greenhouse is a lovely patch of phacelia which was absolutely buzzing with bees. A lovely sight but a nightmare for a novice to survey!
Each flower head had a bee on it and with lots of workers around it was time to get out the capture pots and magnifying glass. The bees don’t mind being temporarily ‘potted’ – they buzz for a moment and then settle down so you can get a good look. Once released they immediately get back to the serious work of collecting pollen. Some of the species are so similar, however, that it still may not help. I saw two individuals which I really couldn’t figure out so I took photos of them and have sent them to the Trust for identification.
Out in the fields of Penlan Farm things were a little quieter and the activity seemed more concentrated due to fewer pollen sources. The long warm, dry spell has meant that many plants haven’t germinated properly including where we have sown the wildlife friendly plants along the field margins. There is little or no sign of phacelia on the farm even though it has been self seeding for a few years now and usually is a blaze or purple by now. Luckily we also have other pollen sources, such as red clover, buttercups, and red campion, to support our bees. Whereas in the garden you will find a good mix of species feeding on the same plant, on the farm they tended to be more localized. For instance, the meadow below the grain store had a good number of Red-tailed Bumblebees (Bombus lapidarius) feeding on the red clover where as Cae Carig (the standing stone field) had more White-tailed Bumblebees (Bombus lucorum). We will just have to wait to see whether this divide will remain throughout the season.
This week I hope to get over to Narberth to see what I can find on our BeeWalks there. We hope to see some rare and illusive Shrill Carder Bees – the focus of our bee haven in that area. However, this is South Wales so we will just have to wait and see what the weather brings. We just need a nice warm, still day …
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