Wednesday, July 28, 2010


Taplow

The bee is leaving the picture.....

I'm quite pleased I got a record shot of this though, because it's a Tree bumblebee - a first for the garden. Research on the internet reveals that the species only appeared in the UK (in the New Forest) in 2001, since when it's been gradually spreading north.

Another bee looked unfamiliar; and at first I thought it was a Ruderal bumblebee - now fairly rare, apparently. But I now think it's a White-tailed bumblebee which is very common! This is okay though because it's still a garden tick. I'm sure they've been around for some time, but I failed to ID them.

Both bees were nectaring on the Hebe shrubs, among numerous other bumblebees, a few Honey bees and several varieties of hoverfly - including the impressive Banded hoverfly and loads of Marmalade flies.

There is concern on the estate at the number of wasps, but so far I've only seen a few in our garden. We had a nest removed years ago from the wooden planking above our bedroom window; that space is now occupied (and has been for some time) by bats. They leave a long white streak of urine on the outside of the window and tiny droppings on the sill, but I don't mind them. Last night I looked out and saw at least two flitting about just feet away. When they return to the roost we hear a tiny thud.

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