Early Bumblebee

Bombus Pratorum or The Early Bumblebee (or early nesting bee) lives up to its name by being one of the first bumblebees to come out of hibernation. Not only does this little bee make an early spring appearance, usually around February, but it's also one of the most common bees to be found all across the UK. 

The early bumblebee is a small insect that has been around for millions of years and plays an important role in the ecosystem. They are helpful pollinators, and their populations have decreased significantly over the last few decades. 

The first thing that should be noted about these insects is that they play a large role in pollination. Bees are one of the most common types of pollinators for many different plants because they carry pollen from plant to plant efficiently due to their hairy bodies which hold onto it well. Pollination helps plants reproduce so there will still be food sources available in many years to come!

You can generally find early bumblebees from March-June. Being one of the smallest bees in the UK it plays an important role in pollinating smaller fruits such as raspberries, strawberries and other soft fruits.