Shetland Bumblebee

Recently we were lucky enough to spend a week on the Shetland Isles. We had been before about 12 years ago and had a great time. This time it was slightly later in the year but we still hoped to see the birds and wildlife that the islands are famous for.
Having become more conscious of the impact farming, especially grazing has had on the countryside it made a real impact on me that the landscape in these islands is completely shaped by the sheep that are found almost everywhere. The result of this is very little diversity in the way of wildflowers and so the resulting insect life, in particular bumble bees. The nature in Shetland website lists only 4 species found today in the islands and although the weather is probably a factor to limit the number of species, sightings of any pollinators were few and far between.
Nature in Shetland suggest the decline in bumblebees over the past decade may be due to agricultural practices, it is difficult to see how this can be reversed if agricultural practice does not change to improved enrich the range of plants allowed to regenerate.

Shetland Bumblebee

The "Shetland Bumblebee" occurs only in shetland and the Western Isles.

www.nature-shetland.co.uk/brc/bees.htm