Andrena lapponica nesting site in Boat of Garten wood development site

Details
Written by Administrator
Category: Insects
Published: 08 May 2010
This attractive bee species has been recorded quite widely in the Cairngorm National Park but usually it is only single individuals foraging that are observed whereas BSCG found a nesting site with a congregation of up to 15 females within Deshar Wood in May 2009 directly within the area proposed for clear-felling by the developers Davall for a housing development.
According to the records on NBN this is the first time within the Cairngorm National Park that a congregational nesting site has been found for this species. Normally the nest burrows for this species are widely scattered rather than being as a congregation so to find up to 15 females all nesting together in one small area within the woodland is uncommon. According to a hymenopteran expert from the Bees, Wasps and Ant Society (BWARS) the finding of a congregational nesting site for this species is a 'great discovery' as it is uncommon to find one.
The main foodplant for this bee species is blaeberry of which there is an abundance within Deshar Wood and any disturbance caused to this nesting colony will be of a detrimental value for the survival of this species within this woodland and will cause the loss of the only apparently recorded congregational nesting site within the Cairngorm National Park.

This attractive bee species has been recorded quite widely in the Cairngorm National Park but usually it is only single individuals foraging that are observed whereas BSCG found a nesting site with a congregation of up to 15 females within Boat of Garten wood in May 2009 directly within the area proposed for clear-felling by the developers Davall for a housing development. 

bee - andrena lapponica tim ransom bscg 20100508 1791644104

Bee - Andrena lapponica. © 2009 Tim Ransom, BSCG.

According to the records on NBN this is the first time within the Cairngorm National Park that a congregational nesting site has been found for this species. Normally the nest burrows for this species are widely scattered rather than being as a congregation so to find up to 15 females all nesting together in one small area within the woodland is uncommon. According to a hymenopteran expert from the Bees, Wasps & Ants Recording Society (BWARS) the finding of a congregational nesting site for this species is a 'great discovery' as it is uncommon to find one.

The main food plants for the bee are  considered to be species of Vaccinium  of which there is an abundance within Boat of Garten wood and any disturbance caused to this nesting colony will be of a detrimental value for the survival of this species within this woodland and will cause the loss of the only apparently recorded congregational nesting site within the Cairngorm National Park.