Did anyone else see the programme on TV last evening Freeview More4 9 pm “Jimmy’s Forest’?

There was a sequence showing a rear end of apparently a Queen Bumble (I could not identify it) apparently excavating a nest into a shallow bank of dry gritty soil which had the appearance of sharp sand.  She was working very hard.  Perhaps she was in fact clearing the entrance into an existing nest - I was under the impression that Bumbles would not be able to excavate a new nest.

Good programme set around Jimmy Doherty’s tree house in a Norfolk wood.

Sparrow - Sue

     

Hi Sparrow,

Darn it I missed this programme - but enjoyed the first one of the series.

Were there any clues as to what time of year the bee was digging ?

It sounds more like a bee digging a hibernation burrow to me than digging a nest entrance.

I’ll try to look out one or two photos, because I’ve ben lucky to see queens starting to dig on a few occasions. 

And Alford’s main book, Bumblebees has got much info on this.

Yours

Clive

     

Hi Clive

This programme was the second of 4 and was set in summer.  I am sure the programme will be repeated at a later date. 

I do have Alford’s book but have only recently started reading it.  Not a book to hurry through as there is so much info.

Sparrow - Sue