Woodland Trust

Nature's CalendarNature Detectives

Keep your eyes peeled for the first snowdrop flowers opening - record them on our survey!

Bumblebee (red-tailed). Pete Holmesbumblebee (red-tailed)

Bombus lapidarus

  • A big, round, hairy body with a red tail
     
  • Like all insects, it has 6 legs

 
Mated queens are the first to be seen in the spring searching for new colony sites
 
As spring progresses smaller worker bees take over food collection while the queen lays more and more eggs

Courtesy of the BBC  

 

 Where found

Usually nest below ground but can be seen in gardens and clover-rich grassland
 
 
When to look for

  • The first warm days of spring for the queen
     
  • Look out for them from February
     
  • Only record red-tailed bumblebees
 

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