Help is needed to find the extremely rare ‘highlander’ bumblebee in the Cairngorms

Nature lovers and mountaineers exploring the Cairngorms National Park are being asked to keep an eye out for one of Scotland’s rare bumblebees – the Blaeberry bumblebee.

The region’s uplands are home to the species also known as the Bilberry or Mountain bumblebee but monitoring them is a challenge due to the remoteness of the area.

The Blaebetter bumblebee has been designated as a conservation-priority species by the Scottish Government because of the threat that climate change poses to the cold-adapted, mountain-dwelling insect.

It is most at home on moorland over 300 metres.

Through the pollination of key upland plants, the Blaeberry bumblebee helps to ensure that the mountains and hills that we love remain breathtaking landscapes; full of colour, buzzing and birdsong.

Annie Ives, Skills for Bees: Scotland Project Officer said “The mountains, moors and forests of the Cairngorms National Park could be one of the few strongholds for the Blaeberry bumblebee left in the UK.

“But in order to best protect and conserve these precious pollinators we need to understand exactly where they are found and how they are doing in these areas.

“If you think you have seen a Blaeberry bumblebee, simply snap a photo and log your location and date on the iRecord app.”

The distinctive bumblebee has two yellow stripes on the thorax, just in front and just behind where the wings are attached and bright orange-red hairs covering more than half its lower body (abdomen).

It is the extent of that vibrant and fiery tail which helps the Blaeberry bumblebee stand out from other similar bumblebees - none of which have more than half the abdomen red.

Its scientific name (Bombus monticola) translates as the ‘mountaineer’ or ‘highlander’ bumblebee.

As spring and summer bring walkers into these remote landscapes, conservationists are hoping that the outdoor community can help them gather more data to better understand the distribution of this rare but beautiful ‘mountaineer’ across the Cairngorms.

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust's Skills for Bees: Scotland project is providing training opportunities and mentoring to communities in the Cairngorms.

This will enable local residents to confidently identify and survey for bumblebees, contribute valuable data and help understand how bumblebees are faring in a huge but traditionally under-recorded area of Scotland.

The project is being made possible thanks to funding from Cairngorms National Park Authority, Cairngorms Trust and NatureScot.

The goal of iRecord is to make it easier for wildlife sightings to be collated, checked by experts and made available to support research and decision-making at local and national levels. Website: https://irecord.org.uk/ Apple App: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/irecord-app/id1094633183 Google play: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=irecord&c=apps&hl=en_GB

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