Early Bumblebee
Bombus pratorum
This record describes Bombus pratorum (species). Recorded family: Apidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Queen 15-17 mm, workers 10-14 mm, male 11-13 mm. The workers and the males are a little smaller than those of the Common Carder Bee. The front of the thorax is covered with yellow hairs, and it may be covered with yellow hairs entirely, especially in males. Often the first part of the abdomen is yellow as well, but the yellow hairs may be absent. The tail is strikingly orange. In older specimens the colouring may be less striking as the hairs tend to become dirty white, as in many other species. Due to its small size and colouring the Early Bumblebee is often easily identifiable. Meadows, gardens, parks. Forages on White Clover, Lavender, Sage, Cotoneaster, Thistles and other Daisy type flowers. Bombus pratorum nests are shorter lived than other bumblebee nests averaging just 14 weeks. They can have two or even three colonies a year. New queens, instead of hibernating, will immediately start a nest. A nest may contain any number, usually from 50 to some 120 individuals. This is a very common species all over Britain.
Wikipedia reference for Bombus pratorum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_bumblebee.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera
- Family
- Apidae
- Genus
- Bombus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Meadows, gardens, parks. Forages on White Clover, Lavender, Sage, Cotoneaster, Thistles and other Daisy type flowers.
Seasonal Activity
March onwards.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Bombus pratorum
Additional species information
Recorded status
This is a very common species all over Britain.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Bombus pratorum. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Early Bumblebee (2)
Frequently Asked Questions About Early Bumblebee
What is Early Bumblebee?
Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) is a species in the family Apidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is Early Bumblebee?
and colouring the Early Bumblebee is often easily identifiable.
Where is Early Bumblebee found?
Habitat: Meadows, gardens, parks. Forages on White Clover, Lavender, Sage, Cotoneaster, Thistles and other Daisy type flowers.
When is Early Bumblebee active?
Early Bumblebee: seasonal activity - March onwards..
What is the life cycle of a Early Bumblebee?
Bombus pratorum