In search of the mountain bumblebee

A few days ago I joined a walk led by Shaun Hackett, a Northumberland National Park Ranger and bumblebee expert, to look for Bombus monticola, the mountain bumblebee (aka bilberry bumblebee).  It is confined to northern and western parts of Great Britain, mainly because of its preference for bilberry and willow flowers in spring and bilberry and heather later in the season.  We visited an area of bilberry close to Rothbury and were rewarded by seeing one B. monticola queen.  It was put in a pot for all to see close up although this didn't make for great photos.

We also saw all seven common bumblebee species including garden bumblebee (B. hortorum),

tree bumblebee (B. hypnorum),

red-tailed bumblebee (B. lapidarius),

white-tailed bumblebee (B. lucorum),

common carder bee (B. pascuorum),

early bumblebee (B. pratorum), a poor photo but included for completeness,

and buff-tailed bumblebee (B. terrestris), the only one I didn't get a photo of.

Another bumblebee was new to me, heath bumblebee (B. jonellus).

There were at least two species of cuckoo bumblebees although I am not sure which one this is, possibly B. sylvestris.

We saw two mining bees, Andrena fulva, the tawny mining bee,

and Andrena lapponica, the bilberry mining bee.

Other highlights were common heath moth (Ematurga atomaria)

and tiger beetle (Cicindella campestris).

After the walk I went to an area nearby with Louise, our local bee expert, and we saw several more B. monticola queens and two workers.  They were on the move and high in the trees which made photography difficult.

I didn't notice at the time but this one was being propositioned by an overambitious Andrena male.

This map from the BWARS website shows the distribution of B. monticola so I feel privileged  to have it within range of where I live.