On our campus, in the little nature reserve area I and others created many years ago, there is a patch of rock cranesbill growing happily away next to a hawthorn hedgerow.
They are now blooming pinkily resplendent, and as such are a big attraction for pollinators.
I saw three different species of bumblebee in short succession yesterday - a common carder, a buff tail and an early bumblebee - while today brought a tiny worker common carder in its distinctive golden furry coat.
Lots of honey bees also flying around and I caught a glimpse of a red tailed bumblebee queen, the first I have seen this spring. Rather worried about their numbers after the wet winter.
In other news, my local swift colonies are returning, and I'm starting to hear screeching...
Si
All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 06.05.26
It is good to see the bumble bees stirring back into life and a busy season.
ReplyDeleteYou are lucky to hear swifts, we used to get them regularly but their numbers have dropped off alarmingly in the last couple of years. A local group have started to fix swift boxes to buildings in our Old Town so I am trying to think hopefully that they will return at some stage. Great bee photos. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteThank you both so much!
ReplyDelete