Eleven species of bumblebee have been recorded in Orkney and one of them, the endangered Great Yellow Bumblebee, counts Orkney as one of its few remaining strongholds in the UK.
Where to send your records and find out more about surveying Bumblebees?
You can send your records to the bumblebee county recorder John Crossley email: [email protected] or visit the Bumblebee Conservation Trust at The UK's bumblebees are in crisis - Bumblebee Conservation Trust to find out more about their 'Bee Walk' volunteer survey scheme.
Any flower rich area is a good place to start looking for bees, including your garden. Red Clover and Knapweed are good places to looks for the Great Yellow Bumblebee.
Bumblebee species recorded in Orkney
The table below shows the bumblebees that have been recorded in Orkney.
| Common name | Scientific name | Last recorded | Note | More information (bumblebeeconservation.org) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbut's Cuckoo-bee | Bombus barbutellus | 2018 | Rare. Has been recorded once in Egilsay and once in Shapinsay | Images and more |
| Gypsy Cuckoo-bee | Bombus bohemicus | 2019 | Scarce. Has been recorded from Sanday and Westray. Must be other isles | Images and more |
| Great Yellow Bumble Bee | Bombus distinguendus | 2019 | Occasional | Images and more |
| Small Garden Bumble Bee | Bombus hortorum | 2019 | Abundant | Images and more |
| Heath Bumble Bee | Bombus jonellus | 2019 | Frequent | Images and more |
| Large Red Tailed Bumble Bee | Bombus lapidarius | 1938 | Disappeared in 1950s | Images and more |
| White-tailed Bumble Bee | Bombus lucorum sens. lat. | 2019 | Abundant | Images and more |
| Moss Carder bumblebee | Bombus muscorum | 2019 | Frequent | Images and more |
| Common Carder Bee | Bombus pascuorum | 2019 | Abundant | Images and more |
| Broken-belted Bumble Bee | Bombus soroeensis | 2011 | Rare vagrant. One record ever (Papay!) | Images and more |
| Buff-tailed Bumble Bee | Bombus terrestris | 2019 | Frequent | Images and more |
(John Crossley)
In 2024 bee surveyors undertook regular surveys in Westray and Stronsay and created comprehensive reports of their sightings through the summer season.
The reports can be found at Westray Bumblebee Survey 2024 and Stronsay Bumblebee Survey 2024
