Tree Bumblebee now found in County Kildare

Established by the National Biodiversity Data Centre in 2012, the National Bumblebee Monitoring programme is one of a kind globally.

There are 21 different bumblebee species in Ireland. Sadly in 2006, the Irish Bee Red List found that four species are endangered, and two species are vulnerable to extinction while another three species are ‘near threatened’.

Bumblebees are Ireland’s most important pollinators. The National Biodiversity Data Centre established this monitoring scheme because by monitoring bumblebee populations, Ireland can identify species in trouble, and detect the early warning signs of a general threat to wild bees and to Irish pollination services.

While the Irish Peatland Conservation Council have only been involved in this monitoring programme on Lullymore West Bog in recent years, this year of monitoring is turning out to be an interesting year as we recorded the tree bumblebee on the reserve for the first time.

This bumblebee can be identified by its white tail and all ginger thorax. What is so interesting about recording this particular bumblebee in 2024? The tree bumblebee is actually a relatively new bumblebee in Ireland.

While there were sightings reported in Ireland, it was not until 2017 that confirmation of its presence in Dublin was reported. This bumblebee gets its name as most bumblebees hibernate in the ground, but as its name suggests the tree bumblebee hibernates in trees. The tree bumblebee was traditionally confined to mainland Europe and Asia, but it appears to be tracking northwards, first being recorded in the south of England in 2001, and its changing distribution is believed to be as a result of climate change.

With the arrival of the tree bumblebee in Ireland, we are now in a unique position as we are the first country to have a monitoring programme established prior to this species arrival, and we will be able to track its changing distribution in Ireland and monitor if the tree bumblebee's arrival will have any impact on Ireland’s native bumblebees.

If you would like help identifying a wildlife observation in your community you can contact me on bogs@ipcc.ie.

- Nuala Madigan, the Bog of Allen Nature Centre, Lullymore