Bumblebee in December
- dilettante
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Sun May 01, 2011 11:03 am
- Location: Cambridge area
Bumblebee in December
I was surprised to see a bumblebee flying around on Sunday (4th December), after a frosty night. It was visiting a Choisya flower in my garden. Is it unusual to see them so late?
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dilettante's butterfly photos at pbase.com
dilettante's butterfly photos at pbase.com
Re: Bumblebee in December
I also saw one myself on Saturday but having been a mild night, and 13c and sunny in the day where I was, perhaps not so surprising. I was hoping for a Red Admiral but alas no joy.
I recall the very mild winter of 2005/6 I think, that I was seeing bumblebees quite regularly in December/January including one on New Years Day
I recall the very mild winter of 2005/6 I think, that I was seeing bumblebees quite regularly in December/January including one on New Years Day
- Vince Massimo
- Administrator & Stock Contributor
- Posts: 1855
- Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2008 7:36 pm
- Location: Crawley, Sussex
Re: Bumblebee in December
Bumble bees can regulate their own body temperatures, so can fly in conditions as low as 10 degrees C. They just need an energy source in order to stay active. This can either be energy stored within their own bodies or a source of nectar. More details can be found here: http://www.bumblebee.org/bodyTempReg.htm
Vince
Vince
- dilettante
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Sun May 01, 2011 11:03 am
- Location: Cambridge area
Re: Bumblebee in December
Wow! Thanks for the link Vince. Amazing stuff.
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dilettante's butterfly photos at pbase.com
dilettante's butterfly photos at pbase.com
Re: Bumblebee in December
Increasing numbers of bumblebees are flying in winter - BWARS have been studying this, see http://www.bwars.com/winter_bumblebees.htm. It seems it is not so much warming temperatures as an increase in the amount of winter-flowering nectar sources available in gardens that is causing this.