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Early bumblebee

Bombus pratorum

Basic Information

Common name: Early bumblebee
Scientific name: Bombus pratorum

Small with two yellow bands and red tail.

Early emerging bee all across UK - likes gardens and parks.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusCommon
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourRed Tail

Keynotes

  • The UK's smallest bumblebee

  • Queens sometimes seen in February

  • Males are fluffy and quite yellow, with fluffy yellow faces and red tail

  • Found all over, especially gardens, parks, woods and brownfield sites

Nest Information

  • Underground, or on surface in thick vegetation, in bird boxes, tree holes, roof gaps

  • 1 nest cycle in north, 2 in the South

  • Short-lived - only last a few weeks

  • Small: usually fewer than 100 workers

Distribution

  • Widespread but not found in the Hebrides or Northern Isles

  • Habitat: many types including gardens, brownfield sites, woodlands, coastal, moorlands, scrublands with brambles

  • Do not like exposed habitats

Castes

QUEEN

March
QUEEN diagram
No Photo

  1. Black face

  2. Yellow collar

  3. Yellow mid-band

  4. Red tail

Tail:Red Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Abdomen:Front Band / Red Tail
Head:Black Head

WORKER

April
WORKER diagram
No Photo

  1. Black face

  2. Yellow collar

  3. Mid-band - often faint

  4. Red tail

Tail:Red Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Abdomen:Front Band / Red Tail, All Black
Head:Black Head

MALE

June
MALE diagram
No Photo

  1. Yellow face

  2. Yellow collar

  3. Yellow front band

  4. Red tail

Tail:Red Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Abdomen:Front Band / Red Tail
Head:Yellow Head

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Loves currants and brambles.

  • Colt's-foot

  • Dandelion

  • Flowering currants

  • Garden crane's-bill

  • Lavender

  • Pulmonaria

  • Pyracantha

  • Snowdrops

  • White clover

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Brambles

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Primulas

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White dead-nettles