White-tailed bumblebee
Bombus lucorum
Habitat
The White-tailed bumblebee is found in Europe, temperate parts of Asia, Alaska, and western Canada. This bumblebee species can be found in all types of landscapes, with the exception of peat and swamp areas, where the soil is often too moist for nesting.
Appearance
Life cycle
The White-tailed bumblebee can be observed from March to September. The colony consists of 100 to 400 individuals.
Only the young queens survive the winter, usually in the ground or under leaf litter. In March, they emerge from hibernation, search for nectar and pollen, and look for a suitable nesting site. They often use abandoned mouse holes or other animal burrows, which they line with grass, leaves, or moss.
The queen begins foraging and lays her first eggs. Workers hatch from these eggs, which from then on take over nectar and pollen collection and care for the larvae. This allows the colony to grow rapidly. Later in the summer, the queen lays both unfertilized eggs (which develop into males) and fertilized eggs (which develop into young queens).
Males and young queens fledge and mate. In the fall, the old queen, the workers, and the males die. Only the young queens look for a place in the ground or under leaves to hibernate.
What can you do?
The White-tailed bumblebee needs food, nesting sites, and safe hibernation areas. You can easily contribute to this in your garden.
Plant nectar- and pollen-rich flowers, such as Willow (Salix), Ground-ivy (Glechoma hederacea), Prunus (Prunus), Bramble (Rubus), plants from the Heather family (Ericaceae), and plants from the Belery family (Apiaceae).
This bumblebee species often nests in abandoned mouse holes or in cavities under grass, leaves, or moss. Therefore, it’s best to leave parts of the garden somewhat rough and undisturbed, with tufts of grass and sheltered corners.
Because young queens hibernate in the ground or under leaf litter, it’s best not to rake away all the leaves in the fall and leave part of the garden undisturbed.
By planning your garden this way, you’ll not only help the common bumblebee, but also many other wild bees, butterflies, and insects.
Caution with some plant species
The berries of the Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) are mildly toxic. If you consume less than 5 berries, you should drink water. If you consume more, you should contact your doctor. The leaves and other parts of the plant are poisonous.
The stem, leaves, and pit of the Prunus (Prunus) contain hydrogen cyanide. The ripe fruit is the only part of this plant that is not poisonous.
The berries of the Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) are mildly toxic. If you consume less than 10 berries, simply drinking some water is sufficient.
The Prunus domestica (Prunus domestica) is a mildly poisonous plant species, but the fruits are edible.
All parts of the Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) are poisonous, except for the ripe cherries.
