DSC_7820 Short-haired bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus latreillellus) a freshly emerged queen on red clover (Trifolium pratense). Mainly found in the drier, colder, inland part of the South Island, this is the rarest of the four bumblebee species introduced into NZ from England in 1885 and 1906. Small numbers remain at a few locations in the central South Island. Sadly, this species became extinct in England 1989, and we now host the last remaining representatives of the genotype of B.subterraneus which once ranged over most of England. Twizel, Mackenzie Country *
DSC_7819 Short-haired bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus latreillellus) queen on red clover (Trifolium pratense). Mainly found in the drier, colder, inland part of the South Island, this is the rarest of the four bumblebee species introduced into NZ from England in 1885 and 1906. Small numbers remain at a few locations in the central South Island. Sadly, this species became extinct in England 1989, and we now host the last remaining representatives of the genotype of B.subterraneus which once ranged over most of England. Twizel, Mackenzie Country *
DSC_7839 Short-haired bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus latreillellus) head of queen on red clover (Trifolium pratense). Mainly found in the drier, colder, inland part of the South Island, this is the rarest of the four bumblebee species introduced into NZ from England in 1885 and 1906. Small numbers remain at a few locations in the central South Island. Sadly, this species became extinct in England 1989, and we now host the last remaining representatives of the genotype of B.subterraneus which once ranged over most of England. Twizel, Mackenzie Country *
