Moss Carder Bumblebee - Western Isles - Hebrides Insects
Bumblebees - Western Isles - Moss Carder - Bombus Muscorum
This bee is now a somewhat uncommon bee that likes moorland and long grasses.
The Population of this bee has declined, and it is now a little more rare elsewhere but still found on a few Hebridean islands - The Western Isles particularly.
Description
The queen has a body length of 18 mm and workers and males have a 14mm body length.
The Moss Carder Bee, has a bright orange upper body & yellowish lower body. The adult has hairs on the thorax and abdomen that are mainly ginger, mixed with black on the abdominal segments (however - not on the mainland forms).
Hebridean Form of Moss Carder Bumblebee
In the females of the hebridean form (agricolae) the face, legs and underside of the body are black.
Nesting.
Queens emerges from March to May to start to search for nest sites. The nest is built on or just under the ground. The nest is covered by moss or dry grass collected by the bees. It is this fact that gives it the name of Carder Bee.
Flight Period
The queens usually emerge in May and the colony persists until August or September.
GENERAL BEE FACTS
How did the bumblebee get its name? Related to the Honeybee? Colonies, Temperature - Body Heat - Life Cycle of The Bumblebee - Hibernation and many more bumble facts
Click pictures below for larger photographs
