WILD POLLINATORS A beginners' guide to wild pollinators in Cumbria - Protecting Wildlife for the Future - Cumbria Wildlife Trust
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WILD
POLLINATORS
A beginners’ guide to wild
pollinators in Cumbria
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
The main
Our wild pollinators Pollinators
groups of wild
pollinators include
Mountains, meadows, lakes, woodland and coast help provide bumblebees, solitary
make a rich and diverse home for Cumbria’s a third of bees, hoverflies, wasps,
butterflies, moths
varied wildlife, including the pollinators all the food and beetles
that thrive in our wet and cool climate. we eat
What are pollinators?
The term ‘pollinator’ simply refers to any
DID YOU
KNOW?
animal that is known to directly contribute
to the pollination of plants. Throughout
the world this includes species such as
bats and birds; however, the most effective
pollinators by far are insects.
Insect pollination occurs when an Honeybees
Elephan
insect, foraging for nectar or pollen, are responsible for Most insect
th
transfers pollen from one plant to pollinating pollinators
aw
k-
ot
5–15% of the
m
h©
another. The pollen fertilises the Tom
Marshall rely solely on
plant, causing new seeds to grow. pollen and
UK’s insect-pollinated crops,
nectar for food
leaving 85–95% to wild
Why are they important?
pollinators
Pollinators may be tiny but their impact is huge. They are vital
for the health of our planet as they pollinate more than 80% of Of the estimated
flowering plants, plus they help to create and maintain habitats
and ecosystems that many other animals rely on for food and 5,500 pollinator
shelter, including us! Wildflower species in the UK,
meadows make 3,186 species have
Whilst honeybees are important for pollinating crops and been recorded in
providing honey, their role is just part of a far greater contribution
perfect pollinator
played by the wild pollinator species that populate our planet. havens, but we’ve Cumbria
lost 97% since
the 1930s
2 3
The wonderful world of Stages of life
pollinating insects Like all insects, pollinators have a fascinating four-stage life
The insect world is both vast and complex, with over 24,000 species cycle, which can vary greatly from species to species. Whilst
in the UK alone. In order to make sense of it all, insects, like all the majority of pollinators have an annual life cycle, some
animals, are categorised using a hierarchical system. The example species like the tortoiseshell butterfly have two generations.
below shows the white-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum).
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae Eggs Larva Pupa Adult
(caterpillar) (chrysalis)
Genus: Bombus
Species: Bombus lucorum
The beginning Overwintering
For most insects, the egg stage Pollinators overwinter in
A class of insects is very short, lasting only a few different stages of their life cycle,
All insect pollinators belong to the class Insecta, which has segmented
bodies, jointed legs, and external skeletons. days. However, some insects may depending on species. Many
hibernate in the egg stage to avoid species overwinter or pupate
extreme conditions, in which case in the soil, on plant stems and
Establishing order this stage can last several months. leaves, on decaying wood, and in
The next step down from class in the hierarchy is Order.
hedgerows. Therefore, leaving
For insects, this splits into:
areas undisturbed in winter is
Peak season
hugely beneficial for them.
Most insect pollinators synchronise
Hymenoptera: Diptera: Lepidoptera: Coleoptera: their life cycle with the flowering
A large order of Many winged Butterflies and Beetles are a season of their preferred food The next generation
insects, which bees insects are moths are from this group of insects source, and as a result the majority Depending on the species,
and bumblebees, commonly called order of insects, that form the emerge as flying adults ready to adults either hibernate or die
wasps and sawflies flies, but the name which is one of the order Coleoptera. feed and breed. While the flight off during winter. For example,
are all part of. actually applies most widespread
only to members of and recognisable
times vary from species to species fertilised females of bumblebee
the order Diptera – insect orders in depending on when their preferred species hibernate in order to lay
the true flies. the world. food source is in bloom, the busiest their eggs when the weather
flight times are spring and summer. gets warmer, but males and any
workers die off. Because of this,
their survival is vital for the
success of the next generation.
4 5
Bumblebees: Solitary bees:
an
blebee © Mike Langm
Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
e © Mik Langman
Role as a pollinator: Role as a pollinator:
e
bum
led
tai
Different bumblebee species have different lengths The dry pollen from flowering plants clings to
g be
ff-
Bu
of tongue, which means they can pollinate a wide special hairs called ‘scopa’ on their abdomen and
n in
When to see
Mi
array of flowers. In terms of pollen deposits and legs, and is carried from one plant to another.
working speed, bumblebees are said to be eight times Because of this, solitary bees are one of the most
more efficient than honeybees in pollinating crops. bumblebees: effective pollinators: 120 times more effective than a
February–October single honeybee.
Characteristics: Most
bumblebees
are ‘social’
Characteristics: When to see
Bumblebees are and live in a colony DID YOU Solitary
Like
solitary bees:
generally larger
comprised of a queen and other bees,
(10–25mm) workers (also female). KNOW? bees can be and wasps, they March–November
New queens and males Bumblebees can warm
found nesting have two pairs
and rounder in holes in soil, sand, of wings
Bumblebees are reared later in themselves up by
than honey or
solitary bees
usually the year vibrating their flight
decaying stumps of
DID YOU
forage wood, rock fissures,
1–3km from
muscles to generate heat,
allowing them to fly when
walls and hollow
plant stems
KNOW?
e
their nest Solitary bees do not have
nc
the air temperature is
ris Lawre
They A close to freezing! They a store of honey to protect
have dense, few species don’t have so are not aggressive.
© Ch
hairy bodies, are parasitic and pollen sacs; Females will sting only
e
if handled roughly or
often with coloured
There are 24 instead, females can
be
are known as ‘cuckoo’
ng
i
in trodden on. As with
bands. These bands bumblebees, as they lay
often be seen carrying M
vary in size and colour eggs in another bumblebee’s species of bright yellow pollen on They
wasps and bumblebees,
with each males do not sting.
species
nest and leave the workers
of that nest to rear the
bumblebee in their underbelly
or legs
live alone,
rather than in a
young Britain. Solitary colony, but they can
Unlike Many of the more common
bees
are docile,
Solitary
bees can be
often be found living
close to each other,
There over
female
bumblebees,
species, such as the white- generally hairy, and split into sometimes even using
the same entrance
250 species of
tailed bumblebee or common vary greatly in size three main
males and cuckoo
bees don’t have carder bee, are widespread
(5mm–220mm)
groups
hole
solitary bee in
pollen across Cumbria. Look out
for them in gardens and
Britain.
sacs The red mason bee is common
parks. Rarer species such
in Cumbria. Look out for it in
as the bilberry bumblebee Bees that nest
Female bum
raphy
Bees that nest Cleptoparasitic bees:
in crevices, dead
parks and gardens during the
can be seen in upland areas, in the ground: e.g. nomad bees
springtime. Rarer species such
og
e.g. mining bees that are essentially wood and walls:
especially where bilberry
hot
and flower bees homeless, and e.g. leaf-cutter as the wool carder bee can be
sP
ble
ck and heather grow. parasitise the nests bees and mason
Cu
e© found in coastal areas.
i ll
H
be
oo y bees
bee h Jon rre of other solitary
© Penny Frit H awkins – Su
6 bees
7
Wasps: Flies: Diptera
an
gm
n
ade fly © Mike Lan
asp © Mike Langma
Hymenoptera Role as a pollinator:
True flies are one of the largest groups of
Role as a pollinator: pollinators in the UK and are able to fly in
rmal
on w
extreme weather conditions. Because of
Ma
mm
their abundance and ability to pollinate
Co
Since wasps generally do not have a fur- when other species are not flying, they are
like covering of soft hairs, pollen does not
stick as well to their bodies. However, even When to see very effective pollinators.
without hairs, several wasp species are able
to effectively transport pollen, therefore wasps: Characteristics: When to see
contributing to pollination. April–November The habitats, life cycles and characteristics of flies:
true flies are fascinating and wide ranging.
Characteristics: The most important fly pollinators include January–December
Wasps are important for pest control as the
DID YOU hoverflies; these are also known as flower-flies, as
adults primarily feed on nectar and pollen so can
workers hunt insects like caterpillars and greenfly KNOW? be seen hovering or nectaring at flowers. Flies are DID YOU
to feed to their larvae. They do not need much an ancient group and were probably among the
protein themselves, but they do need sugar, so they
Nearly every pest insect
on earth is preyed upon first pollinators of early flowering plants. KNOW?
visit flowers for nectar, making them helpful in the by a wasp species, either eine
cke The name Diptera is from the
pollination of fruit crops such as raspberries. Greek for ‘two wings’.
nR
for food or as a host for
h
Jo
Many
d
its parasitic larvae. Wasps
n
aa
nd
are so adept at controlling true flies
ns hoverfly © Li
Wasps pest populations that the mimic bees and There are
agriculture industry now wasps to protect
have a regularly deploys them themselves. They often around 7,000
distinctive to protect crops, and they
yla
have spots, bands or stripes
known species
mb
are a great asset to your
narrow waist of yellow or brown against a
bo
ll
of Diptera in
a
ce
Ma
garden too! dark-coloured background, Vo
lu
that separates the
son
sometimes with dense
the UK and new
w
p
abdomen from the
as
©
Lin
da cke
hair covering the
thorax and J
ohn Reine
There are body surface
ones are being
around 160 discovered
Wasps can
wasp species every year!
ore
be classified into
Mo
They Adult
in the UK.
ek
three groups: social, Look out for our most
er
true flies
D
vary in solitary and parasitic. ee
©
common hoverfly, the
The common wasp is a have only one Wh
ite-tailed bumbl
eb
colour, from the marmalade fly, which can be
familiar yellow
Social wasps, such as the common social wasp and a frequent pair of wings, found in gardens, parks and
wasp, live in nests made out of distinguishing them
visitor to gardens. The woodlands. As the climate
striped, to brown, chewed wood. More gruesomely, from bees and wasps,
less-well-known ruby- warms, you may also see the
metallic blue, and parasitic wasps do not build a home
tailed wasp can be found in which have two
bright red for their offspring, but lay their
pairs rare hornet hoverfly as it
eggs on or in a living animal sandy and rocky habitats heads north from the south
or plant host, depending like quarries, outcrops of England.
on the species and walls.
8 9
Butterflies: Moths:
an
an
ng m
oth © Mike Langm
© Mike La
Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
utterfly
M
ike
Role as a pollinator:
ar m
La
Role as a pollinator:
ck b
n gm
an
nab
aco
Cin
Pe
As with butterflies, pollen clings to their legs
Butterflies search for nectar during the day as they search for nectar. Moths carry pollen
and, as they visit flowers, pollen clings to
When to see over greater distances than bees. As a result,
their legs. They do not return to a nest like both moths and butterflies may help to prevent When to see
bees, so butterflies can travel more widely butterflies: inbreeding among plants. Nocturnal species of
and carry pollen greater distances.
March–October moth also support plant species that benefit moths:
from pollination after dark. January–December
Characteristics:
DID YOU Characteristics:
Most
DID YOU
butterflies KNOW? Nocturnal
KNOW?
Female butterflies taste with moths heat up
have slender their flight muscles by Moths have an excellent
their feet. This is how they find
antennae, which vibrating their wings, sense of smell and are
the right plant to lay their eggs
are club-shaped
He
on. They have receptors on their as the sun’s radiant drawn to flowers that have
at
ri
at the end
h
Small copp
til energy isn’t available to
f
lar
y legs similar to the taste buds a strong scent.
© Ji serve that purpose
m Higham of the human mouth, only 200
hy
times stronger!
rap
er
There are
og
bu
They
ot
tte
fly
Ph
ll s
r
©
Hi
have two Jon
rey Unlike
around 2,500
Butterflies
There are 59
Hawk
ins – Sur
butterflies,
distinct types have four
of flight pattern. species of
they do
species of moth
wings not have
One is a straight, fast flight
which is used to move between
that are covered butterfly in club-shaped
antennae A in the UK and
suitable habitats. When foraging for with colourful,
iridescent scales the UK.
surprising
number of many are found
nectar, they adopt a slower flight
pattern and often fly in loops, The peacock and orange-tip
species fly
during the in Cumbria.
which is thought to help them butterflies are very common in
Cumbria. They are regular visitors
day The cinnabar moth flies during
identify flowers
both day and night. You are
They
El
to our gardens where they feed on
ep
an ll
likely to see it in grasslands,
h
th ha
nectaring flowers like buddleia. aw ars
flap their Northwest Cumbria is home
k-mo
th © Tom M Contrary gardens, waste ground, pastures
Unlike wings in to the smallest UK butterfly – to popular and hedgerows.
some moths, synchronisation the small blue. Numbers have belief, moths Look out for the fascinating
butterflies are when in flight and declined dramatically and it’s a Moths
vary hugely in
female vapourer moth – it has
not active at generally hold them priority species for conservation.
Cumbria Wildlife Trust is
usually have
colour – there are
only rudimentary wings and
isn’t capable of flying.
night and they prefer erect when plump furry
working closely with Butterfly lots of bright and It can be found in a variety of
to fly on bright sunny
at rest
Conservation to protect its habitat
bodies
beautiful habitats, including woodland,
days with low wind to ensure it doesn’t disappear parks, gardens, hedgerows
forever. Its preferred food source species
speeds and heathland.
is kidney vetch.
10 11
Beetles: Problems for
Coleoptera Wasp beetle ©
Mik
eL
an
gm
an
pollinators
Role as a pollinator:
Beetles are not generally known for their role
as pollinators; however, some species do feed Vanishing insects Staggering losses
exclusively on flowers, and others supplement
Over the last 75 years we’ve lost
their diet with nectar and pollen. These include DID YOU Sadly, our wild pollinators are
species such as the soldier beetle, thick-legged flower in trouble. More than half of 97% of our flower-rich meadows,
beetle, cockchafer and pollen beetle. Beetles are best KNOW? UK bee, butterfly and moth 50% of our hedgerows, and
suited to picking up sticky pollen grains, which attach Fossil records suggest species have declined in the past 60% of flowering plants are in
to their hard outer-bodies. Most beetle-pollinated that beetles were the first
50 years, and 30 species of bee decline. This is largely due to the
flowers are flattened or dish-shaped, because the pollen pollinators on earth. In fact,
it is believed they have been face extinction. intensification of agriculture, the
is more easily accessible.
pollinating plants since before increased urbanisation of our
the time of the dinosaurs! villages, towns and cities, and the
Characteristics: Nature networks
construction and expansion of
major road networks.
When to see Much of the remaining flower-rich
pollinating habitat on which our pollinators
They range in
size, colour and
beetles: depend is now seriously
fragmented or degraded. Insects
shape, but all April–October are unable to travel long distances
have biting
ke
without resting or refuelling, and
John Reinec
or chewing There are this fragmented habitat means
mouthparts they have less food available to
around 4,000
an d
them within flying distance.
species of beetle
a
nd
Li
©
af
found in the UK.
er
ck
ch Get Cumbria Buzzing! aims to
el Scopes
Co
Not A clever mimic, the wasp beetle tackle this by creating pollinator-
all beetles is black and yellow and moves friendly pathways where they can
Rach
have wings, but most in a jerky, flight-like fashion, move freely throughout northwest
y©
do. They have hard Beetles fooling predators into thinking
Cumbria. By getting involved, you
rfl
forewings that are it is a common wasp. In fact, the
te
are generally
ut
used to protect the wasp beetle doesn’t sting and can help too! You will find lots of gle
tb
characterised by Rin
hindwing and is completely harmless. Look helpful hints and tips on how to do
body their visibly hard for it in hedgerows and woods this on the next page.
during summer. You may also see
exoskeleton, the common cockchafer, which,
which acts as an although widespread, is rarer
armoured defence in the north. It be seen at dusk
and in the evenings in parks
and gardens.
12 13
Create a pollinator
So
ldi
er
be
et
le
©
Ka
haven at home
tr
in
a
M
ar
tin
1
/2
02
0V
IS
IO
Plant
N
nectar and
pollen-rich plants
2
It doesn’t matter what size your space
is, there’s always room for wild flowers!
Set aside an area or even a pot to grow Have you seen a bee,
hoverfly, wasp, butterfly,
nectar-rich plants and watch the bees and
butterflies buzz in. Dandelions are crucial
Extend
nectar and pollen sources for queen the
bumblebees emerging from hibernation,
whilst ivy provides late-summer
nectar for butterflies and other
flowering
season
moth or beetle?
pollinators that are getting Grow a variety of plants
ready to hibernate. that flower from
early spring to late
autumn.
Record your sightings
When it comes to pollinators in Cumbria, many of the species are vastly
3
under-recorded, and we have large areas where nothing is recorded at
all. Your records are vital and will help build up a better picture of how
our pollinators are faring across the county. With this information we
Build can focus our efforts where they are most needed.
a bee hotel
Solitary bees are important Get online Further reading
pollinators and a gardener’s Simply go to our webpage: We hope that once you get started
friend. Help them by building you will want to know more about
www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/
a bee hotel in your garden getcumbriabuzzing
the many other wild pollinators
and watch them buzz in the UK. Many excellent field
and scroll down to guides are available, and helpful
happily about their
4
‘Record the Buzz’. resources are also provided by
business. This will take you to Cumbria Butterfly Conservation, Bumblebee
Biodiversity Data Centre’s Conservation Trust and the Field
Studies Council. Plus, many more can
Leave recording page where you can
add your sightings. be found on our web page:
a log pile www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/
getcumbriabuzzing
Putting together a log
pile will create a refuge
Remember, if you can’t identify individual species don’t let it put you off recording!
for beetles and hibernating You can always record the group of insects e.g. butterfly or bumblebee. If you snap a
hoverflies, wasp and bee good picture and submit this with your record, an expert can check it.
14 species. 15
Small blue butterfly @ Steve Doyle
This publication has been produced as part of Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s
‘Get Cumbria Buzzing!’ project which aims to inspire everyone to do
something positive for pollinators, whether it’s planting wild flowers in
your garden or window box, or helping to record the different pollinator
species you see. Our ambition is to help reverse the decline of pollinators,
and we need your help!
Working with local communities, volunteers and partners, we will create
115 hectares of flower-rich habitat, providing vital stepping stones for our
pollinators to move freely across northwest Cumbria. We’re also working
with Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre to create an online Pollinator Atlas
to map all sightings submitted – including yours!
Find out more
www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/getcumbriabuzzing
Contact us
Email: mail@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 218711.
Get Cumbria Buzzing! is a Cumbria Local Nature Partnership initiative delivered by Cumbria Wildlife Trust and local partners.
It has been made possible by National Lottery Players and support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Highways England,
Cumbria Waste Management Environment Trust, Rees Jeffreys Road Fund, Cumbria Community Foundation, Tesco, Allerdale
Borough Council & Solway Coast AONB.
Front cover photo red-tailed bumblebee © Rachel Scopes. Design and illustrations Lisa Hornby e-graphics.co.uk
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
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