![]() They have small colonies of up to 100 bees and generally nest underground in old rodent burrows like many bumblebee species, but they can also inhabit bird boxes (like tree bumblebees ( Bombus hypnourm) and nests, roof spaces and holes in trees, although I have yet to hear reports of this. They can also nectar rob from longer, tubular flowers. Look out for them on cotoneasters, brambles, Raspberry and garden crane’s-bill (hardy geraniums). This month, new queens may be emerging, along with workers and the males. The male (pictured above) is particularly striking with his bright-yellow fluffy facial hairs and a stripe on his body too. Early bumblebee ( Bombus pratorum) – if you see a small bumblebee (10 -13mm) with a faint red bottom and yellow stripes, it’s an early bumblebee.The way to tell the garden bumblebee apart from buff-tailed and white-tailed bumblebees is by looking at the two golden bands at the front and back of the thorax which I think makes the bee look as if it’s wearing a black skull cap. Unfortunately they are becoming less widespread than many other large bumblebees with white tails. Garden bumblebee ( Bombus hortorum) – sit by a patch of flowering foxgloves or honeysuckle and you will hopefully see this long-tongue bumblebee. ![]() ![]() While the charming hairy-footed flower bees and red mason bees are no longer flying, there are five new solitary bees to try to identify instead: a new mason bee, a new flower bee, and we’ll see for the first time this year, leafcutter bees, furrow bees and one of my favourites, the wool carder bee. This month you’ll hopefully see the three bumblebees and a cuckoo bumblebee, (There will also be plenty of buff-tailed and white-tailed bumblebee workers foraging, and smaller, brown common carder bees, but we haven’t included them in the June guide as we wanted to introduce you to some new faces).
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