Tree Bumble Bee

Fascinating facts about the Tree Bumble Bee

• The tree bumblebee was first recorded in the United Kingdom on 17 July 2001 near the Wiltshire village of Landford. Since that initial sighting it has expanded rapidly, establishing populations throughout England and moving north into Scotland and Wales. The species continued its advance and was first documented in Ireland in 2017, showing a clear pattern of spread across the British Isles.
• Tree bumblebees build their nests above ground, often taking up bird boxes that are set out for avian guests. This preference for aerial sites distinguishes them from most other Bombus species, which usually nest underground. They also use holes and walls in trees, especially where trees are scarce and human dwellings are nearby, linking their nesting habit to human-dominated landscapes.
• A typical tree bumblebee nest houses at least 150 workers, and some estimates raise that figure to as many as 400 individuals. The colony stores pollen in separate cells and each larva is fed individually, a behaviour that supports the development of both workers and future queens. Workers forage on a wide variety of flowering plants, including Rhododendron, cherry, grape hyacinth and, in northern areas, blueberry and Vaccinium.
• Male tree bumblebees stay coupled with a queen for a lengthy 20-40 minutes. Before copulation the male approaches the queen, hovers for a few seconds and inspects her with his antennae, then lands and continues the inspection. He then uses his front legs to grasp her abdomen and mounts from the rear before the prolonged mating begins. This extended contact ensures thorough sperm transfer between the partners.
• Queens of the tree bumblebee can mate several times, with some females recorded mating up to six times in their lives. Although multiple mating is uncommon among bumblebees, this species is polyandrous and often engages in short matings that may transfer limited sperm. Because of these multiple matings, sisters within a colony can have different fathers, creating genetic diversity among workers.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia

At a glance

About the Tree Bumble Bee

As the warm sunlight dances across the forest floor, the tree bumble bee emerges, its furry coat glistening like burnished gold as it takes to the air with a gentle hum, its movements a masterclass in effortless elegance. With each delicate beat of its wings, it weaves a intricate path through the trees, pausing to sip nectar from the vibrant blooms that dot the landscape, its very presence a testament to the beauty and wonder of the natural world. As it flits from flower to flower, its busy wings a blur of motion, the tree bumble bee embodies the very essence of summer, its vitality and joy infectious, a true marvel of nature.

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