I have been hearing a lot about winter-active bumblebees lately, and read a few articles. This article from the Urban Pollinators Project nicely sums up the role that plants such as Mahonia play in supporting colonies of the Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) through the winter. I hihgly recommend reading it, and the scientific article it links to. You can read that article at: http://www.urbanpollinators.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/mahonia-magnificent-magnet-for-winter.html

Has anyone seen bumblebees foraging in their gardens this winter?

     

I haven’t seen any here in Wiltshire, unfortunately.

     

I’ve not seen any in South Oxfordshire either.

Sparrow - Sue