Winter Wonders: Bumblebees Begin Nesting in Scotland

Conservationists indicate that bumblebees have been observed commencing nests during the height of winter due to climate change.

The organization Buglife reported that active worker bumblebees, responsible for the majority of nest work, were noticed in Aberdeen during the warm spell over the Christmas period.

A prior investigation documented bumblebees and honeybees in various parts of the UK, including the Highlands, between Christmas and New Year.

Buglife highlighted that these nests are at a “high risk” of failure due to the lack of flowers available for the bees to gather nectar and pollen, as well as the possibility of returning chilly weather.

Researchers have previously stated that climate change has led to a significant decline in bumblebees globally.

These insects, vital pollinators, usually hibernate from winter until spring.

The festive season was unusually warm, but subsequently, there have been instances of cold and snowy conditions.

Buglife mentioned that at least two of the UK’s 25 bumblebee species are thought to have begun nest construction prematurely.

According to Paul Hetherington from the charity: “In 2019, Buglife conducted a bee survey during the Christmas to New Year interval and were astonished by the findings, with honeybees and bumblebees detected from Jersey to Thurso.

“This year, one of my colleagues stationed in Aberdeen noticed active worker bumblebees during the Christmas break.

“The presence of active workers indicates that not only have the queens emerged from hibernation but they have also taken the step to initiate new nests.”

Mr. Hetherington remarked that insufficient flowers and inclement weather put these nests in jeopardy of collapsing, potentially resulting in the death of the bees.

He further noted: “Should this occur, no new queens will be generated, leading to significantly fewer emerging in spring and exacerbating the well-documented decline in bumblebees.”

The warmer conditions also resulted in humans encountering a less desirable invertebrate – ticks.

These minuscule parasitic, spider-like organisms are typically active from early spring to late fall.

Lyme disease, a bacterial illness that provokes various health issues, can be transmitted to people through certain tick bites.

Inverness was among the regions where these pests were observed to be active, with one spotted in the woodland of the city’s Ness Castle area on December 28.

During the winter, mature ticks do not enter a hibernation state but seek refuge from chilly conditions in tall vegetation.

Mr. Hetherington remarked: “This indicates that they could remain active, and the period around 28 December experienced relatively mild temperatures for this season, likely due to climate change resulting in longer stretches of tick activity, similar to how bumblebees have been observed flying across Scotland this December.”

The organization Lyme Disease Action expressed its concern regarding this situation.

A representative stated: “An extension of the timeframe during which ticks are active implies an expansion of the timeframe when tick-related illnesses may be acquired.”