HEATHER COLLETES BEE (Colletes succictus) nectaring on Devil's-bit Scabious Wildflower (Succisa pratensis) at Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed Heather Colletes Bee information

The Heather Colletes Bee (Colletes succictus) is of the family Colletidae which is in the genus Colletes.

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

 

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 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

RED MASON BEE (Osmia bicornis) on Green Alkanet Wildflower (Pentaglottis sempervirens) at Ardgillan Demense, Balbriggan, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis) on Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) and infected with Phoretic Mites

Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis)  infected with a large cluster of  Phoretic Mites

 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

Click external link here for detailed Red Mason Bee information

Click external link here for detailed Green Alkanet Wildflower information

The Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis) is of the family Megachilidae which is in the genus Osmia. This solitary bee commonly occurs in Europe, including Britain. It was first reported from Ireland in 2003 and has become widespread in the eastern region. The flight season extends from April into June.

  Phoretic mites form a non permanent relationship with their host. This is known as phoresis or phoresy, in which one organism attaches itself to another species solely for the purpose of travel to new habitat and then drop off. In this case the phoretic mites have attached themselves to the bees thorax.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds 

 

References and highly recommended reading:

https://irishnaturalist.com/bees/red-mason-bee-osmia-bicornis/ 

Field guide to the Bees of Great Britain And Ireland by Stephen Falk and illustrated by Richard Lewington

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

BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE (Bombus terrestris) nectering 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

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

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
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

GARDEN BUMBLEBEE (Bombus hortorum) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

 Click external linkhere 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.

 

MARSHAM'S NOMAD BEE (Nomada marshamella) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

Click external link here for detailed species information

 

 The Marsham's Nomad Bee (Nomada marshamella) is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Nomada. This cuckoo bee is a wasp mimic and is a cleptoparasite of the Chocolate Mining Bee (Andrena scotica) as well as other mining bees in the genus Andrena. The flight season is from April to early September and its food source is pollen.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

FLOWER CRAB SPIDER (Misumena vatia) female waiting to ambush a HEATHER COLLETES BEE (Colletes succictus) Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click external link here for detailed Flower Crab Spider information

Click external link here for detailed Heather Colletes Bee information

 
The Flower Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) is of the family Thomisidae which is in the genus Misumena.

The Heather Colletes Bee (Colletes succictus) is of the family Colletidae which is in the genus Colletes.

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.

EUROPEAN HONEY BEE or WESTERN HONEY BEE (Apis mellifera) on FLOWERING CHERRY TREE (Prunus x yedoensis) blossoms, 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 European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) or Western Honey Bee is of the family Apidae which is in the genus Apis. Honey bees live in a social colony containing a single egg laying queen, up to 60,000 sterile female worker bees and during the summer months also includes over 500 male bees known as drones.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

HEATHER COLLETES BEE (Colletes succictus) at Lullymore West Bog, Lullymore, Co. Kildare, Ireland

 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE

Click external link here for detailed species information

 

The Heather Colletes Bee (Colletes succictus) is of the family Colletidae which is in the genus Colletes.