Bombus subterraneus

Abstract: The short-haired bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus) is the rarest of four Bombus species introduced to New Zealand (NZ) from the United Kingdom (UK) in the nineteenth century, and is now extinct in the UK The NZ population has been proposed as a source for re-introduction of this species to the UK However, very little is known about the biology of this species and research is hampered by the difficulty of exact identification as it co-occurs with two morphologically similar species (B hortorum and B ruderatus) In this study we have developed simple PCR-based molecular identification tools to rapidly, cheaply, and reliably identify not only B subterraneus, but also two other species: B hortorum and B terrestris We have combined a species-specific internal primer with two non-specific external primers that amplify 426 bp of the Bombus Cytochrome b gene, to produce a presence/absence PCR test that is combined with a positive internal control The result is a set of molecular tools that will allow us to separate three cryptic species and facilitate basic research on the biology of New Zealand’s rarest bumblebee

Abstract: Farmland invertebrates play a pivotal role in the provision of ecosystem services, i.e. services that benefit humans. For example, bumblebees, solitary bees and honeybees, are crucial to the pollination of many of the world's crops and wildflowers, with over 70% of the world's major food crops dependent on the pollination services provided by these insects. The larvae of some butterfly species are considered to be pests; however, together with moth and sawfly larvae, they represent a key dietary component for many farmland birds. Spiders and ground beetles predate on crop pests including aphids, whilst soil macrofauna such as earthworms are vital for soil fertility services and nutrient recycling. Despite their importance, population declines of invertebrates have been observed during the last sixty years in the UK and NW Europe. For example, seven UK bumblebee species are in decline, and in the last 20 years, the species Bombus subterraneus (short-haired bumblebee) has become extinct, whilst there was a 54% decline in honeybee colony numbers in England from 1985 to 2005. Comparable trends have been documented for butterflies with a 23% decline in UK farmland species such as Anthocharis cardamines (orange tip) between 1990 and 2007. These declines have been widely attributed to the modern intensive arable management practices that have been developed to maximise crop yield. For example, loss and fragmentation of foraging and nesting habitats, including species-rich meadows and hedgerows, have been implicated in the decline of bees and butterflies. Increased use of herbicides and fertilisers has caused detrimental effects on many plant species with negative consequences for predatory invertebrates such as spiders and beetles which rely on plants for food and shelter.

Abstract: This report sets out the findings of a disease risk analysis for the reintroduction of the short-haired bumblebee to the UK, specifically queens sourced from Sweden, in which we consider source, carrier, transport, and destination and population hazards, and the need to conserve parasites where possible. We consider how the risk of disease in native UK bee populations and in the reintroduced bees might be investigated through surveillance and mitigated through disease control and other measures. These will be compiled in a Disease Risk Management and Post-release Health Surveillance Protocol.

Abstract: Bumble bees have a northerly skewed geographical range and Norway has a rather large proportion (13,7%) of the 249 bumble bee species known worldwide. A total of 34 species are recorded from Norway (Odegaard et al. 2009). There are growing evidence that the bumble bee diversity is declining, especially in developed regions of the World, such as Western Europe and North America (Williams 1982, Goulson 2003, Goulson et al. 2005, Kosior et al. 2007). Late-emerging long tongued bumble bee species associated with deep perennial flowers are thought to be most dramatically affected (Goulson et al. 2005). Mapping and monitoring of bumble bees in the last 10 years have revealed recent records of all species known from Norway except for the long tongued species Bombus subterraneus (L., 1758). The lack of confirmed records during the last 60 years (Loken 1973) together with evidence for a general decline in bumble bees made Odegaard et al. (2009) presume that B. subterraneus had gone extinct in Norway. In the present paper we report a rediscovery of a queen of B. subterraneus in Norway. The identification is based on comparison of morphological characters and confirmed with DNA-sequencing methods. Due to difficulties with unambiguous traits and character states limited to our region the most determinant traits are described and illustrated.