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Bombus hypnorum, British bumblebees, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Tree bumblebee, winter bumblebee sighting
I was amazed today at Cosmeston to hear a buzzing sound and then watch this bumblebee fly slowly past, to settle on the trunk of a nearby tree. It’s a Tree bumblebee, I think, Bombus hypnorum, a species that usually emerges from its winter sleep in March.
Yesterday I saw a Red admiral butterfly, and now today this bumblebee. It just shows how mild our winter weather has been so far.
earthstar 
I have not heard of a tree bumblebee out in winter before but hibernating queens of other species do pop out on warm days. Hopefully she got back in her hibernation spot.
It would be very interesting if you put this on the BWARS Facebook page.
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It was a first for me too, Philip. I’m no longer on Facebook but I tweeted an image and tagged the BBCT, plus I record my finds. 🙂
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A sign of the seasons changing. We have snowdrops out and forsythia in flower.
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Snowsdrops already? That’s really early! Yes, there’s no denying the climate’s changing.
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I can’t remember when we last had a good snowfall that lasted several days. I don’t want one like there was in south Wales in winter ’62/’63 we had to dig our way out and it lasted a very long time.
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I’ve seen photos of that winter’s snow and ice – incredible event. There have only been two or three days of light snow in my 4.5 years here. I’d quite like a little more than that. 🙂
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Just wait for the cold snap in January or February. Mind you, two years ago, here, we had snow on 27th December…
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Yes, I keep waiting … and hoping. 🙂
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