On 15 June I posted a blog entry here, “Tree Bumblebee – Coming to a garden near you, and maybe a Garden near you” (see http://stories.rbge.org.uk/archives/11851). David Adamson, who had seen one in his Edinburgh back garden that day, emailed me yesterday to say that he had seen one Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) worker in the Botanics yesterday, on the Hypericums on the hill between the toilets and the east edge of the Copse. So my prediction that they would soon be seen in the Botanics has proved correct.

David’s Tree Bumblebee record represents the 700th identified species of wildlife recorded in the Botanics since my record-keeping began.

Look out for this distinctive bumblebee, which with its ginger thorax, black abdomen and white tail is unlike any other British bumblebee. See the photos on the 15 June blog.

Many thanks to David Adamson for the record. I’ll have to spot one myself now …..