The Wildlife of
Cragside

 
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Bumblebees - The Field Cuckoo Bee

First seen on Thursday 29th June 2023 at Cragside

Cuckoo Bumblebees are similar to, but more gruesome than the Cuckoo bird. The female cuckoo bee replaces the existing queen (sometimes killing her) then lays her eggs in the nest where the existing worker bees then feed her and nurture her grubs. The main target is the Carder Bumblebee. The one pictured here is a male, and is a pale form.