Early bumblebee
Appearance
Early bumblebee | |
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Species: | B. pratorum
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Binomial name | |
Bombus pratorum (Linnaeus, 1761)
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The Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) is black, with a yellow band around the front of the thorax and red colouration on abdominal segments 4 to 6. The queen is 15 to 17mm, the worker 9 to 14mm and the male 11 to 13mm.
Flight period
Although it flies early - March to July - hence its name, other species such as the Large Earth Bumblebee fly as early as February.[1]
Habitat
Its habitat is very wide ranging, including fields, parks, scrubland, but not in dense forest.
Distribution
It is found all across Europe.
Behaviour
It stores pollen in wax pots or empty cells. Colonies rarely contain more than 120 individuals.