Bombus terrestris audax (queen) on crocus.
By Nigel Raine

As the first rays of spring sunshine start to warm the air the Bumble Bee Queens buzz into life. They have been hibernating all winter and now they start foraging for food and laying their eggs.

Did you know:

• The Latin name for the Bumble bee species is ‘Bombus'.
• They are ‘social' insects which means they live in a colony.
• All members of the colony are offspring of a single fertile queen.
• The size of the colony is approximately 50 to 400 bumble bees. Honey bees can exceed 50,000!
• Home to a bumblebee is a warm dry insulated and well-drained space e.g. in walls or hedge banks.
• There are approximately 300 known species of bumble bee around the world.

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	Bumble bee nester