Common Carder Bee on Newington Green

Common Carder Bee ~ Bombus pascuorum

The common carder bumble bee can be found on Newington Green. This one is enjoying feeding on the flowers of the michaelmas daisy, aster novi-belgii, whose delicate flowers provide a welcome source of pollen and nectar late in the year for many species of wildlife.

The queen carder bee bee makes the nest in Spring, which can be entirely made of moss and sits on the ground, looking like like half a football. This is the shape that is used for the man-made skeps that are sold as ready made bee homes for bees.

Thanks to Dr Martin C D Speight for confirming the identity of this bee.

18 September 2009