Bumblebees of Norfolk

Occasional Publication No.14 – reprinted November 2017

We notice bumblebees visiting the flowers in our gardens and, if we look closely, we notice that they are not all the same. In fact, there are 17 breeding species that survive in Norfolk out of a former total of 20 in the early 20th century. In that time four have been lost and a new species, the tree bumblebee, appeared for the first time in 2008. However, only six of the bumblebee species can be classified as “common”, although the newcomer might soon join the group known as The Big Six. Two of the cuckoo bumblebee species are also classed as “common” but to track down other species involves searching specific local habitats.
All this information and a great deal more is to be found in The Bumblebees of Norfolk, written and illustrated with photographs and delicate paintings by Dr Nick Owens, with distribution maps and notes on the history of recording by David Richmond, the County Bumblebee Recorder.
Each of the existing Norfolk species is detailed in two pages of description, ecology and present status, and there are chapters on the anatomy, lifecycle and behaviour of bees. The status of bumblebees in Norfolk is compared with that of other counties and there are valuable sections on where to look for bumblebees and how to attract them to your garden by providing nest and hibernation sites and plenty of food.
Price £12.00 including UK postage and packing.