Bumblebees’ winter nest-building ‘due to climate’

Conservationists say bumblebees have been found nesting in the depths of winter due to climate change.

The charity Buglife said worker bumblebees, which do most of the work in the nest, were spotted in Aberdeen during mild weather over the Christmas holidays.

It said previous surveys had recorded bumblebees and bees between Christmas and New Year in locations across the UK, including the Highlands.

BugLife said there was a “high risk” of nests failing due to the lack of flowers for bees to collect nectar and pollen and the risk of cold weather returning.

Scientists had earlier said that the cause was climate change widespread loss of bumblebees All over the world.

Insects, an important pollinator, normally hibernate from winter to spring.

Christmas period it was unseasonably mildBut since then days of cold and snowy weather have come.

BugLife said it was believed at least two of Britain’s 25 bumblebee species had started nesting early.

Paul Hetherington from the charity said: “In 2019 Buglife ran a bee survey over the Christmas to New Year holidays and were amazed by the results of bees and bumblebees found from Jersey to Thurso.

“This year a colleague of mine based in Aberdeen observed worker bumblebees during the Christmas holidays.

“The fact that there are active workers means that not only have the queens woken up from hibernation, but they have gone to the extent of building new nests.”

Mr Hetherington said the lack of flowers and cold weather put nests at risk of collapse and the bees could die.

He added: “If this happens then no new queens will be produced, meaning that far fewer queens will emerge in the spring, leading to a known decline in bumblebee numbers.”

Due to the mild conditions people encountered far fewer welcome invertebrates – ticks.

Small parasitic spider-like creatures usually active from early spring to late autumn.

Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that causes a variety of health problems, can be spread to humans through certain tick bites.

Inverness was one of the locations where the insects were found active, with one seen in woodland in the Ness Castle area of ​​the city on 28 December.

During the winter, adult ticks do not hibernate and instead seek shelter from low temperatures in tall vegetation.

Mr Hetherington said: “This means they are still potentially active and the period around December 28 was relatively warm for the time of year, a possible consequence of climate change increasing the period of tick activity in the same way “The way bumblebees have been seen taking wing across Scotland this December.”

The charity Lyme Disease Action said it was a worrying situation.

A spokesperson said: “Extending the period when ticks are active means extending the period when tick-borne diseases can be contracted.”