Monday 2 April 2012

Bumble Bees - 2 New Shetland Records


Buff - Tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris?

A first record for Shetland

Photographed Tommy H. Hyndman in the Auld Haa House garden on Fair Isle, Shetland - March 28th 2012.


to quote one naturalist: 
 "It looks to be a very fresh looking Bombus terrestris queen – a species which has not yet been recorded in Orkney or Shetland so far as I know. Was the photo definitely taken on Fair Isle?
 If so it’s a very surprising find!"

2 B or Not 2 B
Hey kids! the pros say it's a very early record of 
Bombus muscorum (Shetland Bumble Bee)
Earliest ever recorded in Shetland 
 -March 27th 2012 
Henry's Bee found in the school play ground- Photo by Amber


It was 11 year old Henry that I saw the first Bee of spring... on the Fair Isle Primary School playground. His classmate 10 year old Amber took the photo with the school camera! After hearing about the other rare Bumble Bee their photo was reviewed and at first a bit disappointed, but, they were made quite proud to find the earliest Shetland record! 


Well Done Kids!