Bombus pratorum
Bumble Bees are known to everyone and the various species' make up one of the most familiar group of insects. Whilst some bees are solitary, Bumble Bees are social insects, forming small colonies during the Spring and Summer months. After pairing in the late Summer/Autumn, only the young Queens survive through the Winter to start new colonies the following Spring. But there is a seemingly increasing trend for new colonies to be started by some species, later the same Autumn after pairing and if conditions are favourable. Both Queens and workers are now sometimes recorded during mild Winter days in the south-west UK. Bombus pratorum has one or two yellow bands, with the end of the abdomen orange. B.pratorum is commonly referred to as the Early Nesting Bumble Bee.
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UK distribution of Bombus pratorum
 

The UK distribution maps on eakringbirds.com are provided by the National Biodiversity Network (NBN Gateway) Each red square on the map indicates species present in 10km grid squares.

Updated September 2011

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