On Guard
14th July 2009, TuesdayWhile clearing Ragwort on the Beach reserve today, I came across a nest of the Red-tailed Bumblebee on the shingle to the seaward side of the beach road. My attention was drawn by the steady stream of departing workers, but held by the guard bee which acts as a sentry at the nest entrance. For the whole of the 15 minutes I was watching her, she was moving her wings rapidly, creating a draught which was visibly moving nearby vegetation. Bumblebees certainly ‘fan’ when their nests get very hot (high temperatures can impair brood development), so perhaps this was what was happening here.
Red-tailed Bumblebee nest entrance and guard
Also today I saw several males of this species feeding on various flowers. Unlike the females, which are black with a red-tail, the males also have a yellow band on the front on the thorax and yellow hairs on the face when fresh (see the image here). Also unlike the females they have no sting and play no part in the upkeep of the colony.
Male Red-tailed Bumblebee