Bumble Bee Hunt
One of our eagle-eyed garden visitors was most excited last week when she spotted a Bilberry Bumble Bee on a thistle in the Meadow. Apart from it being yet another excuse for Sue to stop me cutting the thistles, the Bilberry is apparently in decline and subject to research by the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust.
You can find out more about the bee and the hunt for it here
Yesterday, Tim, one of our neighbours (yes, we do have them, it’s just that they are about half a mile away!) also spotted the Bilberry, again on a thistle. So if you are visiting and fancy a little stroll in the meadow, keep your eyes open for this lovely little Bumble.
Nant y Bedd 
I hope it was the Bombus Monticolor. I have shared the photo with my daughter, who is an entomologist bee researcher in Zürich. She thinks it is a misidentification for a pascorum, but unable to truly identify. She says leave the thistles well alone anyway to encourage all solitary bees. Good advice and I’m sure the thistles look gorgeous!
Hi Zoe. The lady who spotted it sent a photo to the bumble bee conservation people and they reckon it is the Bilberry. Our neighbour is a Prof in the Zoology depart at Oxford University and he also thinks it is the Bilberry. The pics on the blog are from the web, so maybe there’s some mistake there? Your daughter sounds as though she should know, however!
My daughter only a post-doctorate..so I would well leave this id to your Professor neighbour…who is that? Could well have been one of her early Mentors.. she was at New College initially..it’s a small world. You had eyes on and this Bombus Monticola may have shedded thorax scales..but it is a rare inhabitant of Welsh uplands, which you are! Hoping so. Good spot!
Hi. As previously mentioned the pics in the blog are from the internet not the actual bee. Maybe the Bumblebee Conservation Trust have the wrong pic ? Tim, I’m sure, would have researched before looking for it. You will have to get your daughter over asap as I’m sure she is probably the real expert.