Bird, bug, butterfly and a wild variety of photos from Belarus, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain by Irish wildlife photographer Patrick J. O'Keeffe and invited guests

Showing posts with label Irish Bumblebees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Irish Bumblebees. Show all posts

Friday 20 May 2022

BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus terrestris) queen nectar robbing from a Granny's Bonnet / Columbine Plant (Aquilegia ssp.) at Saint Anne's Park and Rose Gardens, Clontarf East, Raheny, Co. Dublin, Ireland


 
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Click external link here for detailed species information
 
The Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus. This species is commonly found throughout the temperate regions of Europe, The Middle East, northern Africa and has been introduced to other countries including Australia (Tasmania), Japan as well as parts of South America. 
It is not normally seen in Ireland during the colder months of the year. In late autumn the worker bees and the males (drones) die off and the gravid queen hibernates for the winter. In recent times, it has been on the wing all year round mainly at coastal locations where shrubs such as Hebe (Hebe × franciscana), Gorse (Ulex europaeus) and Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica) have continued to flower in mild winters.
Aquilegias produce their nectar in spurs which project from the rear of the flower head and are pollinated by long tonged insects, including hawkmoths. Short tonged insects, such as bumblebees, use a method known as nectar robbing and penetrate or cut into the plant's spurs to extract this rich food source. As a results no pollination takes place. In North America aquilegias are also pollinated by hummingbirds.  

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Saturday 23 April 2022

RED TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus lapidarius) queen nectaring on Hawkweed wildflower species (Hieracium sp.) at Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


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Click external link here for detailed Red-tailed Bumblebee information
Click external link here for detailed Hawkweed Wildflower information
 
Click here to see identification guide to Irish Bumblesbees
 
The Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.
The Hawkweed Wildflower species (Hieracium sp.) is of the family Asteraceae which is in the genus Hieracium.

Friday 7 January 2022

BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus terrestris) one of four workers and a Queen nectering on Hebe Shrub Blossoms (Hebe × franciscana) on 11th January 2022 at Howth Yatch Club, Howth Harbour, Fingal, Co, Dublin, Ireland


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information
 
The Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus. This bumblebee is commonly found throughout the temperate regions of Europe, The Middle East, northern Africa and occurs as an introduced species in other countries including Australia (Tasmania), Japan as well as parts of South America. 
This species is not seen in Ireland during the colder months of the year, normally the worker bees and the males (drones) die off and the gravid Queen hibernates for the winter. In recent times, it has been on the wing all year round mainly at coastal locations where shrubs such as Hebe (Hebe × franciscana), Gorse (Ulex europaeus) and Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica) have continued to flower in mild winters.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Sunday 26 September 2021

BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus terrestris) nectaring on Common Ivy Blossoms (Hedera helix ) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information
 
The Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus. This bumblebee is commonly found throughout the temperate regions of Europe, The Middle East, northern Africa and occurs as an introduced species in other countries including Australia (Tasmania), Japan as well as parts of South America.  

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Sunday 19 September 2021

MOSS CARDER BEE (Bombus muscorum) or LARGE CARDER BEE nectering on Devil's-bit Scabious Wildflower (Succisa pratensis) at Blacksod Village, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland


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Click external link here for detailed Moss Carder Bee information
Click external link here for detailed Devil's-bit Scabious Wildflower information

The Moss Carder Bee (Bombus muscorum) or Large Carder Bumblebee is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.
The Devil's-bit Scabious Wildflower (Succisa pratensis) is of the family Caprifoliaceae which is in the genus Succisa
 
Click external link here to view identification guide to Irish Bumblebees

Friday 2 April 2021

COMMON CARDER BUMBLEBEE (Bombus pascuorum) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information
 
Click here to see identification guide to Irish Bumblesbees
 
The Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) or Common Carder Bee is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.

Wednesday 24 March 2021

GARDEN BUMBLEBEE (Bombus hortorum) Turvey Nature Reserve, Donabate, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland


 CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
 
Click external link here for detailed species information

Click external link here to see identification guide to Irish Bumblebees 
 
The Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.

Friday 18 December 2020

WHITE TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus lucorum) on Common Knapweed wildflower (Centaurea nigra) at Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed White-tailed Bumblebee information
Click external link here for detailed Common Knapweed Wildflower information
 
Click here to see identification guide to Irish Bumblesbees
 
The White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus  lucorum) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.
The Common Knapweed Wildflower (Centaurea nigra) or Lesser Knapweed is of the family Asteraceae which is in the genus Centaurea.

Friday 28 August 2020

COMMON CARDER BUMBLEBEE (Bombus pascuorum) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information
  Click here to see identification guide to Irish Bumblesbees
 
The Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) or Common Carder Bee is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.

Monday 27 July 2020

GARDEN BUMBLEBEE (Bombus hortorum) Lullymore West Bog, I.P.C.C. Nature Reserve, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
 
Click external link here for detailed species information

Click external link here to see identification guide to Irish Bumblebees 
 
The Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.

Wednesday 1 July 2020

BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE [Queen] (Bombus terrestris) on RED CLOVER (Trifolium pratense) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland


CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information
 
The Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus. This bumblebee is commonly found throughout the temperate regions of Europe, The Middle East, northern Africa and occurs as an introduced species in other countries including Australia (Tasmania), Japan as well as parts of South America.  

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

Sunday 24 March 2013

WHITE TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus lucorum) National Botanic Gardens, Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
 
Click external link here for detailed species information
 
Click external link here to see identification guide to Irish Bumblebees 
 
  
The White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus  lucorum) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.

Thursday 21 February 2013

EARLY BUMBLEBEE(Bombus pratorum) National Botanic Gardens, Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed species information
Click external link here to see identification guide to Irish Bumblebees
 
The Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Bombus.