Sending in records of bumblebee sightings will create a clearer picture of their distribution in the North Isles and help identify places that are of particular importance to them, as well as indicating those areas that could be improved for bees and other pollinators.
Any flower rich area is a good place to start looking for bees, including your garden. The Great Yellow Bumblebee likes Red Clover and Knapweed – so where you find these plants growing are good places to look for this species.
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)
Where to send your records?
Send your records to the bumblebee county recorder John Crossley email: [email protected]
Or to the Orkney Wildlife Information and Records Centre email: [email protected]
Isles events 2021-2023
Wildflower and pollinator (including bees) identification and recording days
