Bombus hortorum on Walland Marsh
25th July 2009, SaturdayEarlier in the week I reported the scarcity of the garden bumblebee Bombus hortorum on Dungeness, and apparently from elsewhere on the Marsh. Well today I found it to be the most abundant bumblebee on Larry Cooke’s farm on Walland Marsh! 18 of the 29 bees recorded on a one hour walk were this species, and I also found the scarce moss carder bee Bombus muscorum. 26 of the 29 bees spotted were of species that have longer tongues, and are more dependent on red clover and vetches for pollen/nectar. So Larry’s abundance of red clover is producing the desired outcome.
Which makes the scarcity of hortorum on Dungeness even more mysterious!