Invertebrates
Early Bumblebee
Bombus pratorum
On a flowering currant bush in March, an early bumblebee queen works the pink blossoms, one of the first bumblebees of the year.
Overview
The early bumblebee, Bombus pratorum, is a small, neat bumblebee of gardens, parks, and orchards across Europe and parts of western Asia. Its early appearance and fast colony cycle make it one of the first signs of spring and one of the first colonies to finish.
A bumblebee on a short schedule
While other bumblebee colonies are only getting started in summer, the early bumblebee has often already raised its new queens and wound down.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and common.
Early Bumblebee: common questions
Why is it called the early bumblebee?
Its queens emerge from hibernation in early spring, among the first bumblebees to appear, and its colony cycle is over by midsummer.
How can you identify an early bumblebee?
It is a small bumblebee, black with a yellow collar, a yellow band at the front of the abdomen, and an orange-red tip to the tail.
Where does it nest?
It nests in holes in walls, under stones, in bird boxes, and in old rodent burrows, often above ground.
Where is the early bumblebee found?
It lives in gardens, parks, orchards, woodland edges, and meadows across Europe and parts of western Asia.