Bombus hypnorum

I'm still photographing bumble bees ready to help some North Pennines staff with their bee photography. This afternoon I was in the garden enjoying the overwhelming scent of the Philadelphus. It has benefitted from my lack of pruning last year....... Suddenly I spotted this tree bumblebee, (Bombus hypnorum). Not many years ago I was on a day course over near Rothbury when one was spotted and I snapped it as a record that this invader had come as far north. It's a pretty little bee with a white tail, but there are fears it may be take over from our native bumblers.

I shopped this morning. That involved a very long wait everywhere: petrol station and supermarkets were all very busy. Home for lunch. Watched some of the ladies semis.

Our friends Malcolm and Gudrun arrived this evening, en route to Tonge from Cambridge. We had a meal at the Crown where the food is now excellent. The place became very busy with lots of Hadrian's Wall walkers. It was buzzing!