B. humilis is one of the UK's three all-ginger Carder bees and the scarcest.
The Carder bee name derives from the textile industry and refers to the way they comb material together to form a cover for their nests, a technique likened to the way fibres are prepared prior to spinning and weaving. A process long-known as carding.
Separating the B. humilis, B, muscorum (Moss Carder) and B. pascuorum (Common Carder) is not always easy.
A fresh B humilis is ginger-brown all over with no clearly-delineated tail, often with a darker brown band on the second abdominal segment and perhaps the third. Unlike b. pascuorum, black hairs are not present across the abdomen except possibly at the furthest end. Evidence of a smattering of black hair can usually be detected at the bases of the wings. These are never present in B. muscorum.
Within the species, Queens, workers and males are very similar.
Although this beautiful bee has suffered a serious decline in numbers and distribution, mostly due to agricultural intensification and the reduction in size/isolation of suitable, unimproved grasslands, heathland, chalk downland, brownfield sites & coastal levels. It feeds on a variety of plants including Kidney Vetch, Red bartsia, Red Clover, Betony, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Knapweed and Wild Thyme.
Largely a southern species, it has strongholds in Kent, the south west and in south Wales, but is also scattered along coastal grasslands of southern England and some inland sites.
Queens are one of the latest to emerge in the Spring, beginning their search for nesting sites in May and early June. Workers fly from June to September and males from August to September.
Nests are built on the surface at the base of thick vegetation and covered with dead grass and moss. This is gathered both by the queen and by workers once they emerge. Alternatively they may be built just below the surface. Both habits make them vulnerable to disturbance and in particular to mowing.
New generation queens will hiberate between October and the following spring.
PK
(There are 100's of short wildlife videos on this Channel, most of which are accompanied by written species information. To ensure you don't miss out on any new additions, please hit that 'Subscribe' button)
