News: October 2005

A garden birdwatcher discovered a new species of bumblebee nesting in one of his bird nestboxes!

Bombus hypnorum is one of the most widespread bumblebees in Asia and mainland Europe. An individual was first recorded in Britain in July 2001 and small numbers have been recorded since then. However, this was the first nest ever found in the country. Climate change may help continental insects like these to become established in this country, so keep an eye open next year for this pretty bumblebee.

BTO. From the magazine Bird Table, Autumn 2005, Issue 43, page 13.