Walkers and climbers asked to help keep track of the Blaeberry bumblebee

The uplands of the Cairngorms National Park are home to rare bumblebees, including the Blaeberry bumblebee - also known as the Bilberry or Mountain bumblebee - but monitoring them is a challenge due to the area’s remoteness.

It has been designated as a conservation-priority species by the Scottish Government because of the threat that climate change poses to this cold-adapted, mountain-dwelling species, most at home on moorland over 300m.

Through the pollination of key upland plants, the Blaeberry bumblebee helps to ensure that the mountains and hills remain breathtaking landscapes.

This distinctive bumblebee has two yellow stripes on the thorax, just in front and just behind where the wings are attached and bright orange-red hairs covering more than half its lower body.

Its scientific name (Bombus monticola) translates as the ‘mountaineer’ or ‘highlander’ bumblebee, and as spring and summer bring walkers into these remote landscapes, conservationists are hoping that the outdoor community can help them gather more data to better understand its distribution across the Cairngorms.

Annie Ives, Skills for Bees: Scotland Project Officer said “The mountains, moors and forests of the Cairngorms National Park could be one of the few strongholds for the Blaeberry bumblebee left in the UK, but in order to best protect and conserve these precious pollinators we need to understand exactly where they are found and how they are doing in these areas. If you think you have seen a Blaeberry bumblebee, simply snap a photo and log your location and date on the iRecord app.

“Recording wildlife sightings is a practical way to contribute to knowledge and wildlife conservation in the hills. As mountaineers and walkers, we can collect valuable information from areas that are inaccessible to most people.”