Early Bumblebee
Bombus pratorum
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Small, neat and out early — and finished for the year while other bumblebees are still building up.
A small bumblebee with a yellow band at the front of the thorax, usually a yellow band on the abdomen, and an orange-red tail. Males have a yellow face and are noticeably fluffy. Early bumblebees are common in gardens, woodland edge and hedgerow around Dumfries, and their small size and short season make them easy to overlook.
Behaviour
True to the name, this species starts and finishes early: queens emerge in March, colonies are small — often under a hundred workers — and the whole cycle is usually complete by July, when other bumblebees are at their peak. There is sometimes a second generation in a good year. It nests in cavities above or below ground, including bird boxes and compost heaps.
When to see it
Quick facts
- Family
- Bees (Apidae)
- Size
- Queens 15–17 mm · one of our smaller bumblebees
- Status
- Native; common and widespread
Photo by Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons