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We’re very fortunate that our walled garden provides not only a wonderful habitat for at least four species of Bumble Bee, but also that the cracks and gaps in the high stone walls around the garden provide innumerable ideal nooks for nesting and hibernation.

Today I’ve had the privelege of spending time with two species – and there are probably a couple of dozen of each of these – as they forage for nectar : The Moss Carder Bumble Bee, and the Buff-Tailed Bumble Bee.

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I haven’t seen – recently – any Bumble Bees harvesting pollen.  The bees in these photos have nothing in their leg ‘pollen baskets’ : from that I assume that at present they do not have young (in the form of grubs) to feed.