Wild Bees of the 4Bs
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The UK is home to over 270 bee species—including 1 honeybee, ~24 bumblebees, and ~250 solitary bees like mason, mining, and plasterer bees. While honeybees are dominant in terms of numbers, bumblebees and solitary bees are more efficient pollinators than honeybees, and more active in cooler weather.
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Bee Awareness Week
BLOG POSTS * Flight of the bumblebee * Bee navigators * The evolutionary marriage of bees and flowers * Wild Bee Gallery |
From an ecological and biodiversity perspective, bumblebees and solitary bees deserve more attention. Over 90% of British bee species are solitary, with each nest the work of a single female. Only bumblebees and honey bees are social, living in colonies that are almost entirely female.
Each colony comprises a queen and a caste of smaller sterile females called workers. The queen lays all the eggs, and the workers care for the larvae with the older workers foraging for nectar and pollen. In a bee colony, male bees (drones) primarily play the role of ensuring genetic diversity by mating with queens from other colonies. They do not participate in hive building, defence, or foraging, and are essentially reproductively focused. They are often expelled from the hive before winter when resources become scarce.
Bumblebees
The UK has 24 species of bumblebee, of which eight are common. They play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and supporting food webs. They are among the most effective pollinators, pollinating 80% of our wildflowers and 84% of crops. Their preferred habitats are meadows, gardens, parks, verges, woodlands and heathlands, with abundant flowering plants from early spring to late summer. Bumblebee queens emerge in spring to forage on flowers and find suitable nest sites. Males and new queens are produced in late summer or autumn and fly off to mate with bees in other colonies. At the end of the colony cycle, the queen, workers and males die. Only the new queens over winter to start the cycle again the next year. Bumblebee populations have seen a sharp decline in the last 50 years which makes them an important species for conservation efforts.
Each colony comprises a queen and a caste of smaller sterile females called workers. The queen lays all the eggs, and the workers care for the larvae with the older workers foraging for nectar and pollen. In a bee colony, male bees (drones) primarily play the role of ensuring genetic diversity by mating with queens from other colonies. They do not participate in hive building, defence, or foraging, and are essentially reproductively focused. They are often expelled from the hive before winter when resources become scarce.
Bumblebees
The UK has 24 species of bumblebee, of which eight are common. They play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and supporting food webs. They are among the most effective pollinators, pollinating 80% of our wildflowers and 84% of crops. Their preferred habitats are meadows, gardens, parks, verges, woodlands and heathlands, with abundant flowering plants from early spring to late summer. Bumblebee queens emerge in spring to forage on flowers and find suitable nest sites. Males and new queens are produced in late summer or autumn and fly off to mate with bees in other colonies. At the end of the colony cycle, the queen, workers and males die. Only the new queens over winter to start the cycle again the next year. Bumblebee populations have seen a sharp decline in the last 50 years which makes them an important species for conservation efforts.
Solitary bees
Unlike honeybees and bumblebees, solitary bees do not live in colonies with ‘worker’ bees. Rather, a single female builds and provisions her own nest. Depending on the species, solitary bees can be ground or aerial nesters, and may use mud, leaves, body secretions or floral oils as their nesting material. Some are furry and larger like their bumblebee cousins while others are virtually hairless and no more than a few mm in length. A solitary bee belongs to one of 24 different groups or ‘genera’.
Solitary bees may be ground nesters or aerial nesters. Ground-nesters, such as mining bees, can be found in lawns, along paths, cliff faces and on sunny banks. Using their legs, they dig into the ground to create a tunnel, which then splits into different chambers where they lay their eggs. While most species are ground-nesting, some bees nest aerially. Solitary bees such as flower bees, leafcutters and mason bees may nest in hollow plant stems, cavities in dead wood, or more artificial structures such as walls and bee hotels. While solitary, you can find females nesting close together at good sites.
Unlike honeybees and bumblebees, solitary bees do not live in colonies with ‘worker’ bees. Rather, a single female builds and provisions her own nest. Depending on the species, solitary bees can be ground or aerial nesters, and may use mud, leaves, body secretions or floral oils as their nesting material. Some are furry and larger like their bumblebee cousins while others are virtually hairless and no more than a few mm in length. A solitary bee belongs to one of 24 different groups or ‘genera’.
Solitary bees may be ground nesters or aerial nesters. Ground-nesters, such as mining bees, can be found in lawns, along paths, cliff faces and on sunny banks. Using their legs, they dig into the ground to create a tunnel, which then splits into different chambers where they lay their eggs. While most species are ground-nesting, some bees nest aerially. Solitary bees such as flower bees, leafcutters and mason bees may nest in hollow plant stems, cavities in dead wood, or more artificial structures such as walls and bee hotels. While solitary, you can find females nesting close together at good sites.
Honey bees
Honey bees are social insects known for producing honey and beeswax. They live in large colonies with a queen, drones, and sterile female workers. They are crucial pollinators, transferring pollen between flowers, which is essential for the reproduction of many plants and the production of fruits and vegetables. Honey bees collect nectar from flowers and convert it into honey, which they store in their hives. They also produce beeswax, which they use to build their honeycomb structures. Honey bees have a black and gold striped body, with a hairy thorax and bent antennae. They have five eyes: two large compound eyes and three smaller ocelli. Honey bees communicate through a "waggle dance," which they use to indicate the location and distance of food sources. While there are many wild bee species in the UK, honey bees are often managed by beekeepers for honey production and pollination. Where there are large number of honey bee colonies is detrimental to wild bee populations because of competition for food.
Honey bees are social insects known for producing honey and beeswax. They live in large colonies with a queen, drones, and sterile female workers. They are crucial pollinators, transferring pollen between flowers, which is essential for the reproduction of many plants and the production of fruits and vegetables. Honey bees collect nectar from flowers and convert it into honey, which they store in their hives. They also produce beeswax, which they use to build their honeycomb structures. Honey bees have a black and gold striped body, with a hairy thorax and bent antennae. They have five eyes: two large compound eyes and three smaller ocelli. Honey bees communicate through a "waggle dance," which they use to indicate the location and distance of food sources. While there are many wild bee species in the UK, honey bees are often managed by beekeepers for honey production and pollination. Where there are large number of honey bee colonies is detrimental to wild bee populations because of competition for food.
Threats
Like all pollinating insects our bees are subject to numerous threats through loss of natural habitats due to agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in land use. The use of pesticides, especially neonicotinoids, affect bee navigation and reproduction. Climate change, altering flowering times and therefore food availability and diseases and parasites such as Nosema bombi. Any further loss of diversity or abundance of our insect pollinators needs to be avoided so any help that we can give them by creating wildflower-rich habitats, avoiding pesticides and herbicides or creating nesting sites, is a good thing.
Resources
The Wild ID Bees of Britain published by the Field Studies Council and written by Buglife & Chris O’Toole is an excellent Guide
A short guide to solitory bees https://www.nhsn.org.uk/a-short-guide-to-solitary-bees/
Bees Needs Week 4Bs Activities - Bee Survey & Talk on the Plight of the Bumblees
During July 2025 we will be conducting our own bee survey across the 4Bs linked to Bees Needs Week (14 to 20 July). The team will summarise results and build a gallery of photographs. There will also be a talk given by bee expert Peter Smith on July 17th in Betchworth Village Hall (see advert).
Like all pollinating insects our bees are subject to numerous threats through loss of natural habitats due to agricultural intensification, urban development, and changes in land use. The use of pesticides, especially neonicotinoids, affect bee navigation and reproduction. Climate change, altering flowering times and therefore food availability and diseases and parasites such as Nosema bombi. Any further loss of diversity or abundance of our insect pollinators needs to be avoided so any help that we can give them by creating wildflower-rich habitats, avoiding pesticides and herbicides or creating nesting sites, is a good thing.
Resources
The Wild ID Bees of Britain published by the Field Studies Council and written by Buglife & Chris O’Toole is an excellent Guide
A short guide to solitory bees https://www.nhsn.org.uk/a-short-guide-to-solitary-bees/
Bees Needs Week 4Bs Activities - Bee Survey & Talk on the Plight of the Bumblees
During July 2025 we will be conducting our own bee survey across the 4Bs linked to Bees Needs Week (14 to 20 July). The team will summarise results and build a gallery of photographs. There will also be a talk given by bee expert Peter Smith on July 17th in Betchworth Village Hall (see advert).