Kimalasesuvi 2013 - Bumblebee Summer 2013

Suvi oli kiire ja toimekas ning päeviku pidamiseks jäi sageli vähe aega. Kõike toimus korraga nii palju, et jõudsid ehk vaevu vaadata ja kogeda, kuid mitte talletada. Tutvustasin siin kiile ja liblikaid, kuid postitused jäid tegemata suvistest kimalastest, aia- ja tiigielukatest. Kimalased väärivad siiski ühe ülevaate tegemist, sest neid jahtisin ma heas mõttes üks periood süsteemselt. Tuleval suvel, kui peenardele on lisandunud veelgi enam mummimagneteid, on loodetavasti kogu aed suminat täis.

Olen mõelnud kimalastele ka mõne maa-aluse pesa rajamist, nii prooviks ja vaatamiseks, kas mõni pere leiab endale sinna kodu, kuid võib-olla on see siiski rohkem linnaaedade teema. Maal on sobilikke paiku pesade rajamiseks niigi. Vaatamata mitmekülgsele loodusele ümberringi on igal suvel vundamendi ventilatsiooniavade kaudu ka paar kimalaseperet leidnud kodu meie maja põrandate all. Ühel suvel oli see esiku põranda all ning pere kasvas sügiseks nii suureks, et hakkas põrandat ennast lausa soojendama. Sellise kimalaseküttega esik oli meil siis tol aastal. Majas on elanud aedkimalased ja talukimalased ning üks must liik (kivi- või tumekimalane).

Sellesuvised aiakülalisi olen püüdnud allolevatele piltidele. Oskuste piires proovisin määrata nende liike, kuid lõplikku tõde ma selles lubada ei saa. Külmal tuulisel talvepäeval on ehk niisama toregi vaadata!

Põldkimalane/ Bombus pascuorum

Maakimalane/ Bombus lucorum

Metsakimalane/ Bombus sylvarum 

Maakimalane (ülal)/ Bombus lucorum (above)

Metsakimalane/ Bombus sylvarum

Maakimalased/ Bombus lucorum

Bombus bohemicus (top) & Bombus lucorum (maakimalane)

Põldkimalane/ Bombus pascuorum

Tumekimalane/ Bombus ruderarius

Aedkimalane/ Bombus hortorum

Kivikimalane ja metsakimalane/ Bombus lapidarius (male, top) & Bombus sylvarum

Metsakimalane/ Bombus sylvarum

Metsakimalane/ Bombus sylvarum

Talukimalane/ Bombus hypnorum

Schrencki kimalane/ Bombus schrenkcki

Põldkimalane/ Bombus pascuorum

Aedkimalane/ Bombus hortorum

Metsakimalane/ Bombus sylvarum

Põldkimalane/ Bombus pascuorum

Hallkimalane/ Bombus veteranus

Kivikimalane/ Bombus lapidarius (male)

Bombus bohemicus

Bombus bohemicus (top) & Bombus lucorum

Paaruvad kimalased/ Mating bumble bees

Summary: Bumblebee summer 2013

Past summer was full of gardening and passed by so quickly. Therefore many posts here in my blog were left un-composed and published as I just didn't have enough of time. So many things were happening so fast that it was almost impossible to keep on track with everything that was going on. I had a plan to introduce some of the wildlife in my garden and creatures in bond too (which is also very fascinating) but it all remained as a plan.

Among others, a great post of bumblebees was planned and I hunted them down for it with my camera for weeks. Unfortunately until now it was unpublished. But here it is - photographs of bumblebees in my garden from summer 2013. I tried to identify them as precisely as possible, but it's a tough task, as the whole bumblebee family is large and differences can be really minor between some species. Even among one species colours can diverse on different individuals. So they might not all be correct.

I really love bumblebees and their deep humming around my garden. I have tried to add plants in my borders favourable for them. Echinops, drumstick alliums and liatris have worked particularly well. For the next spring I already have a list of plants, to make my borders even more attractive to bees and butterflies.

Also, I have given a thought to making them artificial nesting sites, but as my garden is widely surrounded by natural areas, then there is no point in it, really.  It is more for the urban and suburban gardens. However, for many years some bumble bee species have used our house as a nesting site. They use ventilation slots in foundation and make their nest under our floors. By the autumn the families grow so large that the constant humming can be heard below the floors. So all in all, my house is their house too!