Early bumblebee
Bombus pratorum
Habitat
The Early bumblebee is found in Europe and temperate parts of Asia. This bumblebee species is most common in wooded areas, such as gardens, ruderal areas, and untidy landscapes with many Brambles (Rubus).
Appearance
Life cycle
The Early bumblebee flies from March to September. A colony consists of 50 to 120 individuals.
The queen overwinters in a sheltered spot, such as in the ground or other frost-free areas. From late February to early March, the queen awakens from hibernation. She will feed and search for a suitable nesting site. The nesting site can be above or below ground, in vegetation or in cavities such as old bird nests, moss, grass piles, or under stones.
After finding a suitable nesting site, the queen lays eggs in the nest cells. She provides each cell with pollen and nectar so the larvae can develop. In the first phase, the queen takes on most of the work, such as feeding, building, and caring for the larvae.
From April onwards, the first generation of workers appears. They take on increasingly more tasks: gathering food (nectar, pollen), building, and caring for future brood. The queen continues to lay eggs.
From around June onwards, the young queens and males emerge. They are raised by the workers. The young queens and males then leave the nest to mate. After mating, the males die. The original queen and workers also die once the colony has completed its task.
After mating, the young queens search for suitable places to hibernate, and so the following year begins anew.
What can you do?
The Early bumblebee is an early spring pollinator that breathes life into our fruit trees and wildflowers, but it’s struggling due to the disappearance of flower-rich areas and suitable nesting sites. Fortunately, you can easily help it. Plant early bloomers like Willow (Salix), Rhododendron (Rhododendron), Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara), and Deadnettle (Lamium), so that the queen bees that awaken in February can immediately find food. Other plants you can plant include: Brambles (Rubus), Clover (Trifolium), Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster), Red raspberry (Rubus idaeus), Comfrey (Symphytum), Crocus (Crocus), European blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), and Common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus).
Also, leave some cluttered corners of your garden untouched, as old grass tufts, leaves, or moss are perfect places for nesting or overwintering.
Be careful with some plant species
The Rhododendron (Rhododendron) is poisonous.
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) is poisonous and causes liver damage if ingested. This plant is also carcinogenic if ingested.
The berries of the Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster) are barely poisonous. If fewer than 10 berries are ingested, drinking some water is sufficient.
Comfrey (Symphytum) can be poisonous. The hairs on the leaves cause skin irritation.
The Crocus (Crocus) is slightly toxic to humans. The poison tastes very bitter and the plant is often spat out after ‘accidental’ consumption. In small children, symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain occur. When a higher dose is ingested, dizziness, colic, and episodes of cardiovascular collapse may occur.
