The UK is home to 24 species of bumblebee, including 6 species of cuckoo bumblebee. These important pollinators are social insects, with fascinating ecology and life cycles.
In this webinar, Dr Nikki Gammans will feature the six cuckoo bumblebees which occur in the UK. These cleptoparasites enter the nests of their host species and replace the host queen, with the host workers becoming slaves that nurture the cuckoo bumblebee grubs and feed the cuckoo queen.
At the end of the session, learners should feel more comfortable submitting records of the following species to iRecord:
– Southern Cuckoo Bumblebee (Bombus vestalis)
– Gypsy Cuckoo Bumblebee (Bombus bohemicus)
– Forest Cuckoo Bumblebee (Bombus sylvestris)
– Barbut’s Cuckoo Bumblebee (Bombus barbutellus)
– Red-tailed Cuckoo Bumblebee (Bombus rupestris)
– Field Cuckoo Bumblebee (Bombus campestris)
The stories behind two species of bumblebee that have gone extinct in the UK over the last century, will then be examined:
– Cullum’s Bumblebee (Bombus cullumanus)
– Short-haired Bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus).
The 90-minute event will consist of a 1-hour presentation followed by a Q&A with the tutor using questions provided by the live audience. The presentation will be recorded be made available following the event to those booked alongside a transcript of the Q&A and useful links.
The cost of registering for this entoLEARN Training Webinar is £10.
Book via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/993873732087