Rare bumblebees discovered on Warwickshire farm
Ditchford Farm, nr Shipston on Stour, Warwickshire"When I first saw some Ruderatus queens at Ditchford in the 1990s it was like seeing a ghost - the previous Warwickshire record was from the 1920s and I had assumed it was long extinct here. Now thanks to the managed wildflower margins, we can see not only the typical white-tailed and yellow-banded workers, but also the rare all-black Harrisellus - which I'd never seen before.
"It has been the most delightful discovery to see these bees back in Warwickshire, and I really hope we can secure their long-term future here."
Steve Falk, Senior Keeper of Natural History at Warwickshire
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| Photo credit: David Burges |
Ecologists have discovered two very rare species of bumblebee on a South Warwickshire farm, in wildflower field margins specially planted under Defra's Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS).
Bumblebees need very flower-rich landscapes, and today only six out of the UK's 19 native species are easily found in lowland Britain, five of which are listed as 'priority species' on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. (See http://www.ukbap.org.uk/Plans/index.htm.)
The Countryside Stewardship Scheme offers payments to farmers and land managers to improve the natural beauty and diversity of the countryside. It is one of the schemes of the England Rural Development Programme. At Ditchford Farm, near Shipston-on-Stour in Warwickshire, wide margins around fields have been planted with a variety of grass and wildflowers designed to provide a mix of nectar sources beneficial to bees and other wildlife.
Bombus Ruderatus - also known as the Large Garden Bumblebee - is one of the largest bees in Britain, with queen bees more than an inch long. A century ago they were common across lowland Britain, but over the last 100 years there has been a population decline of 95 percent, mainly because the deep flowered plants they prefer, such as comfrey and trefoils, have become increasingly scarce.
The all-black Bombus Harrisellus, an even rarer species, has also been sighted and photographed at Ditchford Farm by Defra entomologist Mike Edwards and Steve Falk, Senior Keeper of Natural History at Warwickshire Museum.
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| Steve Falk, Senior Keeper of Natural History at Warwickshire Museum. Photo credit: David Burges |
Sam Somers of Defra's Rural Development Service said:
"Bumblebees are a very good indicator of a healthy environment. Being larger and heavier than other types of bee they need to feed more, so their presence is tied in to a readily available supply of food. This also means they can stay in flight for longer and cover greater distances, which makes them excellent pollinators of crops and a real boon to farmers."
"Research carried out for Defra by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology has identified the particular plant species bumble bees prefer, so we can tailor options under Countryside Stewardship to suit those preferences and support the bee population.
"It's tremendously encouraging to get evidence of this sort that the scheme is making a difference."
Page last modified:
19 May, 2005
Page published: 5 August, 2003