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TranslateBombus pratorum (Linnaeus, 1761)
Bombus pratorum (Linnaeus, 1761) Early Bumblebee. 13MM Queen, 10mm worker, 10mm male.
Body lengths in mm , queen 15-17, workers 10-14, male 11-13.
One of our commonest and widespread bumblebees, males are very attractively marked with abundance of yellow hairs; the workers are smaller colour versions of the queen. Once a male has left the nest he does not return, his sole aim in life is to survive the cold in the early spring months of the UK, (by sheltering under a nectar giving flower) and mate with a new queen.
Flight season… In the south... Queens can be seen from March, workers and males from April; new queens are on the wing from May so in most cases two and possibly three generations are created.
In the far north…Queens appear later, so only a single generation is possible. Bombus Pratorum can be on wing till September and sometimes into October, very rarely winter-active.
Habitat… many and variable habitats you will see this bee, although it does favour wooded areas and waste areas with plenty of brambles growing. Also, commonly found in gardens and brownfield sites.
Flowers visited… The early queen bee visits sallows and a variety of spring-flowering plants and shrubs. Queens, workers and males all visit a wide variety of prunus (flowering fruit trees and shrub blossoms) earlier in the year. Then throughout the summer months, a wide variety of summer flowers are on the menu; with brambles being one of their favourites. This is a pollen storing species.
Nesting…. B. Pratorum nests are shorter lived than other bumblebee nests, averaging just 14 weeks, with a population of up to one hundred bees. B. Pratorum will nest practically anywhere, from underground in old rodent burrows, on the surface under vegetation material. They also favour old small bird nesting boxes as well as holes in trees and roof spaces.
Images below you will see the Queen and male B. Pratorum. ( males are more dumpy in appearance and has more yellow hairs on head)
Read MoreBody lengths in mm , queen 15-17, workers 10-14, male 11-13.
One of our commonest and widespread bumblebees, males are very attractively marked with abundance of yellow hairs; the workers are smaller colour versions of the queen. Once a male has left the nest he does not return, his sole aim in life is to survive the cold in the early spring months of the UK, (by sheltering under a nectar giving flower) and mate with a new queen.
Flight season… In the south... Queens can be seen from March, workers and males from April; new queens are on the wing from May so in most cases two and possibly three generations are created.
In the far north…Queens appear later, so only a single generation is possible. Bombus Pratorum can be on wing till September and sometimes into October, very rarely winter-active.
Habitat… many and variable habitats you will see this bee, although it does favour wooded areas and waste areas with plenty of brambles growing. Also, commonly found in gardens and brownfield sites.
Flowers visited… The early queen bee visits sallows and a variety of spring-flowering plants and shrubs. Queens, workers and males all visit a wide variety of prunus (flowering fruit trees and shrub blossoms) earlier in the year. Then throughout the summer months, a wide variety of summer flowers are on the menu; with brambles being one of their favourites. This is a pollen storing species.
Nesting…. B. Pratorum nests are shorter lived than other bumblebee nests, averaging just 14 weeks, with a population of up to one hundred bees. B. Pratorum will nest practically anywhere, from underground in old rodent burrows, on the surface under vegetation material. They also favour old small bird nesting boxes as well as holes in trees and roof spaces.
Images below you will see the Queen and male B. Pratorum. ( males are more dumpy in appearance and has more yellow hairs on head)
