Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
What you will learn here
- Information about individual bumblebee species
- You will receive a summary of information for the general public, schools and breeders
Last updated: 1/1/2022
Description
Czech: Ground bumblebee
Latin: Bombus terrestris terrestris
English: Buff-tailed bumblebee or Large earth bumblebee
German: Dunkle Erdhummel
Polish: Trzmiel ziemny
Image
ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Sikora A., Michołap P., Kadej M., Sikora M. Tarnawski D. 2018 "Pszczoły w miście: Trzmiele Wrocławia", Wyd. Stowarzyszenie Natura i Człowiek.
Color scheme
Basic scheme (queen and worker):
- Basic color
– black - Head
– black
– mostly covered with black hairs - Chest
– dark yellow (ochre) band of varying width on the forechest
– the band is brownish yellow, not lemon yellow or golden yellow
– the band extends to the sides of the chest – sometimes it can be only faintly indicated or even imperceptible, the chest appears black - Belly
– 1st tergid black
– yellow band on 2nd tergid, lighter than on prothorax – wider than on prothorax
– posterior margin of 3rd tergite usually yellowish
– 4th – 6th tergites white / greyish-white (rarely brownish)
– rest of belly black
– short fur
It is quite difficult to reliably distinguish between a worker and a queen by their coloration.
The yellow stripes can sometimes be lighter.
The size and possibly the behavior in the nest (if the queen is present) are decisive.
Basic scheme (male):
– color scheme similar to mother and worker
- Head
– head significantly shorter and more stocky
– mostly covered with black hair
– more pronounced hairiness
– brushes on the sides of the mandibles for spreading marks – color usually dark brown - Chest
– the yellow band on the prothorax is thicker and more colorful than in the mother.
Belly
– similar in color to the mother and worker
– 1st tergid black
– the band on the 2nd tergid is thicker and more colorful (lighter) than in the mother
– the difference in shades between the bands on the prothorax and the thorax is not immediately noticeable
– 4th – 6th tergids white / grayish-white
– the rest of the thorax is black
Note.
- The description corresponds to Bombus terrestris terrestris
- Bombus terrestris dalmatinus has specific colors – will be described later
Size
- Type
-large - Size:
female 20 – 26 mm
worker 11 – 17 mm
male 14 – 16 mm
Source Hymenoptera of the Czech Republic I., Academia 2017
Head
Size:
– short
Shape:
– cheeks shorter than wide
– mother and worker – when viewed from the front, a distinct wedge shape
– male – round facial part, brushes on the side of the mandibles highlight the lower part of the facial part
– simple eyes lie on the (supraorbital) line, distance between eyes as half the diameter of the eyes in the middle – see picture
Diagram of the distribution of simple eyes on the head of a bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Source: Fauna Helvetica Apidae 1
Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – queen
Photo: H. Casselmann
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – sames (male)
Photo: Animal photos
Ground bumblebee Bombus terrestris – detail of the mother's head with simple eyes (ocelli)
Photo: Wiki
Antennae
- As with other bumblebee species, the male has long curved antennae
- The antennal segments are parallel
- Third antennal segment only slightly longer than fifth
- The antennae of males are optically shorter and less prominent than in some other species – see for example the field bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum)
Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) queen – detail of antennae
Photo: O. Hercog 27/6/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male – detail of antennae
Photo: O. Hercog 24/7/2021
Language
- Short
- Mother's tongue length 9 – 10mm
The following image shows a comparison of the tongue length of some bumblebee species
- Striped bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus)
- Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
- Hume bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus)
- Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Note: this is a schematic image, because the length of the garden bumblebee's tongue reaches the length of its body
Tongue length comparison
Source: Otagomuseum nz
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – worker
Photo: Á. Ungerová 15/10/2019
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: Á. Ungerová 2020
However, bumblebees have learned to get around the handicap of a short tongue by biting through the calyx of the flower in such a way that they can get there with their short tongue.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – worker
bites the calyx of a flower
Photo: H. Kříženecká
Body
- The mother
– the body is more elongated
– does not have such a pronounced pointed end to the bottom (like, for example, a garden bumblebee) - Male
– body more stocky than the mother
– ovoid
– end of the rump more rounded or blunt
Wings
Lights
The wings of individual bumblebee species sometimes show specific characteristics that can be used to identify the species, but this is beyond the scope of our site.
Ground bumblebee – (Bombus terrestris) – left wing
Source: Antiquity of cleptoparasitism among bees revealed by morphometric and phylogenetic analysis of a Paleocene fossil nomadine (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
Feet
- Hind pair of legs
– in females and workers with pollen cups
– hairs on the back edge of the hind metatarsals mostly shorter than half the greatest width of the metatarsal
– middle metatarsal of the hind pair of legs without spine (rounded)
– in males, hind tibiae on the outer surface are deepened and glabrous
Detail of the middle metatarsus of the hind pair of legs – with and without a spine
Source: Fauna Helvetica Apidae 1
In the following photo you can see a pollen basket on the hind leg of a female bumblebee.
The tarsus without a spine.
Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – detail of leg – queen
Source: Bumblebee.org
Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – detail of leg – mother
Source: Wiki
Specific distinguishing features
<bude doplněno>
Photo
Mother
Classically colored queens. You will notice the difference in shades of yellow stripes on the head and on the back.
This feature is a good guide.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 27/6/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 18 /7/2021
The photographs show stripes of varying thickness on the prothorax behind the head.
Some color varieties are "dark". In them, the stripe behind the head is only slightly outlined, practically invisible. You will only see it very close up as a thin row of light hairs, sometimes not even that. The stripe on the 2nd tergide is always present, because ground bumblebees do not produce dark forms in our country.
One of the mothers has dirty chest hair.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 27/6/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – dark form mother – (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 9/8/2021
Here is an example of a mother without the pronotum stripe. The yellow stripe on the rump is still present, however.
The short head is also clearly visible, which is typical for this species.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestrtis) - queen
dark form
Photo: O Hercog 7/7/2021
Here you see a shot of the Queen Mother.
Two shades of yellow stripes are clearly visible.
The wedge-shaped head is also visible. When viewed from above, it is short – this is also due to its placement on the thorax.
On the head, large compound eyes (with damage) but also three small eyes between the antennae (ocelli) are visible.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – mother (queen)
Photo: Ondřej Hercog 1/8/2021
A beautiful comparison of the color schemes of bumblebee queens can be found in the photo of our colleague Jan Frantl.
You can see typical varieties on it as confirmation that this species in the Czech Republic sometimes lacks the yellow stripe on the prothorax behind the head, but always has a yellow stripe on the 2nd tergide. This is not always the case with subspecies common outside the Czech Republic.
One mother has nymphs of the common carp (Parasitus fucorum) attached to it.
Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – queen
Photo: Jan Frantl 30/6/2019
Worker
The difference in size between the worker and the queen is clear, the body shape and colors are the same. You will not find a distinctive pointed end of the bottom in both.
The front yellow stripe of workers is often lighter than that of queens. Their front stripe is often distinctly ochre, as seen in the previous photos.
If you are unsure about how to distinguish between a worker and a male, looking at the pollen sacs can help you – if you see pollen threads there, it is clear. Males do not hesitate to collect pollen.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – worker
Photo: O. Hercog 3/7/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – worker
Photo: O. Hercog 3/7/2021
Male
Males are similar in color to mothers and workers. They have slightly longer and "bristlier" hairs. Their colors tend to be more pronounced.
But their antennae and round facial part of the head, including the brushes on the side of the mandibles, give them away.
Their head is shorter and rounder. The brushes on the mandibles have a brown tint and optically widen the head at the bottom.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 24/7/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 24/7/2021
A close-up of the facial part of the head of a male bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). It shows the lighter brushes on the side of the mandibles. The males use these to spread scent marks.
Note the simple eyes (ocelli) arranged in a row.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – sames (male)
Photo: Animal photos
Video catalog
Mother
Mother bumblebee – this is a young mother that has already been occupied by mite nymphs. This is a fairly reliable sign that the mother has mated and will hibernate.
However, in 2021, we detected cases where mites settled on both the worker and the male. So this previously reliable “pregnancy test” can no longer be considered accurate. Well, bumblebees always surprise us with something….
The mother in the video has a barely recognizable stripe on the prothorax behind the head.
Worker
A worker from a later generation – it is identified by its larger size, as it had enough food during its development.
It is a classic color form in good condition, it is full of power.
Male
Typically colored male. Its stripes are brighter and wider – behind the head on the prothorax and on the 2nd tergide.
Its antennae are also clearly visible - longer and differently positioned. Its head is also visible during movement - rounder and shorter.
Similar species
These species are very similar to the ground bumblebee. However, some of them are difficult to find, and this will help you distinguish them
- Ground bumblebee subspecies dalmatinus (Bombus tererstris dalmatinus) – gradually appearing in the Czech Republic
- Wood bumblebee (Bombus lucorum) – abundant
- Double-crested bumblebee (Bombus cryptarum) – rare
- Greater Bumblebee (Bombus magnus) – critically endangered
These species are distantly similar, as their light forms have two yellow stripes on the chest. However, since beginners confuse them with the ground bumblebee, we also list them here (basic information).
- Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) – abundant
- Humen bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus) – critically endangered
How to distinguish it from similar species
Although the ground bumblebee is very abundant in the Czech Republic, it is often possible to confuse it with other species.
We will try to show you visible signs that can be a guide for its identification. However, reliable differentiation of these species is only possible under a microscope according to signs that are not visible to the eye. However, for a completely reliable differentiation, it is sometimes necessary to kill and dissect the individual. For example, determining the species of males is only possible based on the details of their genital organs. However, this does not coincide with our interests in protecting bumblebees. Therefore, in our catalogue we make do with signs that you can see with the eye and with limited accuracy.
Ground bumblebee subspecies dalmatinus (Bombus terrestris dalmatinus)
Bumblebees often come in several subspecies. One subspecies of the ground bumblebee is Bombus terrestris dalmatinus.
This subspecies migrates to us from warmer places. Thanks to the gradual increase in average temperatures in winter, it is able to hibernate successfully here, which is why you can encounter it more and more often in our conditions.
The occurrence of subspecies and the migration pattern of the ground bumblebee is indicated here:
Distribution of the bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) in Europe (Source: Rasmont et al. 2008)
As proof that Bombus terrestris dalmatinus is thriving in our country, we can also use photos of Jan Frantl, who repeatedly breeds this bumblebee in his hives near Prague.
It is quite difficult to distinguish this subspecies from Bombus terrestris terrestris and therefore it may remain hidden from our eyes.
However, upon closer observation, you will notice a significantly wider and brighter band on the prothorax behind the head and a band on the 2nd tergide. The subspecies dalmatinus is entirely bright. This is a relatively reliable guide to distinguishing the subspecies.
Males resemble larger workers and, like Bomba terrestris terrestris, are more hairy, have wider yellow stripes, and are brighter in color than workers/mothers.
If someone sells you a wild bumblebee and it has these features, you can be sure with a high probability that it is a bumblebee from a large-scale farm. There, Bombus terrestris dalmatinus is very often present as part of the mix of Bombus terrestris subspecies used.
However, the following photos show bumblebees settled from nature and kept in a hive.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris dalmatinus) – queen
Photo: J. Frantl 16/8/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 27/6/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris dalmatinus) – queen
Photo: J. Frantl 16/8/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris dalmatinus) – worker
Photo: J. Frantl 23/7/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – worker
Photo: O. Hercog 3/07/2021
Bumblebees PLUS – Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris dalmatinus) – male
Photo: J. Frantl 21/8/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 24/7/2021
The following photo compares species that can be easily confused. Although these are photos of mothers taken in Ireland (the species here have slight color differences from the same species in the Czech Republic), they are useful for comparing typical characteristics.
As you can see, the distinction is not always easy.
In the following text, we will describe the characters and provide you with a guide to distinguishing them.
Mothers of similar species – B.
terrestris-B. lucorum – B. magnus -B. crytptarum
Photo: Bertsch 2004
Wood bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)
- You can read more about the wood bumblebee (B. lucorum) HERE<PŘIPRAVUME>
The following text provides only information for comparison
- Unlike the ground bumblebee:
– it is smaller
– the mother/worker of the forest bumblebee has a shorter and rounder head (it is the shortest of all species in the Czech Republic)
– both stripes are the same shade and thicker
– the stripes are lemon-colored to bright yellow and predominate over the black color
– in mothers and workers, the shade of the yellow stripes gradually matches with age, then the color fades significantly with age to practically dirty white – such an effect is not observed in the ground bumblebee (B. terrestris)
– a distinctive facial mask of yellow hairs in males
– males are beautifully yellow and hairy
– with age, the yellow color of males gradually disappears, males fade to gray – but we know that, men too, right?
Grove bumblebee – Bombus lucorum
Source: Sikora A., Michołap P., Kadej M., Sikora M. Tarnawski D. 2018 "Pszczoły w mięści: Trzmiele Wrocławia", Wyd. Stowarzyszenie Natura i Człowiek.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Source: Sikora A., Michołap P., Kadej M., Sikora M. Tarnawski D. 2018 "Pszczoły w mięści: Trzmiele Wrocławia", Wyd. Stowarzyszenie Natura i Człowiek.
In queens and workers, the shade of the yellow stripes is a good guide. In the wood bumblebee, the first and second stripes will be the same. In the ground bumblebee, the stripe on the prothorax behind the head is darker than the stripe on the 2nd tergide.
This is clearly visible in these photos.
Wood bumblebee (Bombus lucorum) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 16/ 6/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 27/6/2021
Wood bumblebee (Bombus lucorum) - worker
Photo: O. Hercog 24/7/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – worker
Photo: O. Hercog 3/7/2021
Unlike the ground bumblebee, the yellow stripes of the wood bumblebee can be seen fading to a dirty white. This effect is quite common in wood bumblebees and can complicate species identification.
More examples can be found on the page on the page of this species
Wood bumblebee (Bombus lucorum) – worker
Photo: O. Hercog 5/9/2021
Male wood bumblebees are easy to recognize. They are very typical – the male is beautifully yellow and cannot be confused with the male ground bumblebee.
The male bumblebee is more similar to the large worker, but its yellow stripes are wider and brighter. Here too, however, the difference in shades is visible, although not as striking as in the mother and worker. It will help you to look at the hind legs without pollen cups and at the antennae.
The difference between the species is significant in males – the male ground bumblebee (B. terrestris) lacks yellow elements on the head and face.
Wood bumblebee (Bombus lucorum) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 15/7/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 24/7/2021
Wood bumblebee (Bombus lucorum) – male head
Photo: O. Hercog 23/7/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – sames (male)
Photo: Animal photos
Cryptic bumblebee ( Bombus cryptarum
- You can read more about the double-headed bumblebee (Bombus cryptarum) HERE<PŘIPRAVUME>
The following text provides only information for comparison
- Notes on identification
– the double bumblebee is an infrequent species and the chance of encountering it is minimal, information about its occurrence is sparse – you have a small chance of encountering it
– it can be caught at higher altitudes
– it did not have a Czech species name for a long time. Doc Ptáček uses the Czech name “cmelák norový” in the source article of the magazine Včelařství
- Unlike the ground bumblebee:
– it is smaller
– the distance of the simple eyes on the head (stellate) is different than the ground bumblebee
– its yellow colors are lighter
– the band on the prothorax is narrower, it may contain individual black hairs and is interrupted by them on the sides of the chest
– the band on the prothorax ends at the level of the wings (side view)
– it emits a high-pitched tone in flight
– males cannot be reliably distinguished from similar species by color
Note: The discussion about whether this is a separate species or just a form of B. lucorum has not yet been concluded
Double-headed bumblebee (Bombus cryptarum)
Source: Blooms for Bees
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Source: Sikora A., Michołap P., Kadej M., Sikora M. Tarnawski D. 2018 "Pszczoły w mięści: Trzmiele Wrocławia", Wyd. Stowarzyszenie Natura i Człowiek.
Double-headed bumblebee (Bombus cryptarum) – queen
Photo: M. Tarm
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 27/6/2021
An interesting detail of the breast band of a mother bumblebee. The interruption of the band is a typical feature of this species.
At the same time, it is clearly visible that the band does not extend under the wings.
Double-headed bumblebee – Bombus cryptarum - queen with
yellow band on prothorax interrupted
Photo: Donegal Wildlife
Bumblebee (Bombus cryparum) – queen
Photo: bloomsforbees.co.uk
Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – queen
Photo: B. Ivčič
Double-headed bumblebee (Bombus cryptarum) – worker
Photo: S. Falk 2019
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – worker
Photo: O. Hercog 3/7/2021
Double-headed bumblebee (Bombus cryptarum) – male
Photo: S. Falk 2019
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 24/7/2021
Ground and double bumblebee (Bombus terrestris and cryptarum) – male
Photo: S. Falk 2019
At a cursory glance, a difficult but still possible clue to distinguish between the ground bumblebee (B. terrestris) and the double bumblebee (B. cryptarum) is the distance between the simple eyes (ocelli) on the top of the head.
Diagram of the distribution of simple eyes on the head of a bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Source: Fauna Helvetica Apidae 1
Diagram of the distribution of simple eyes on the head of a bumblebee (Bombus cryptarum)
Source: Fauna Helvetica Apidae 1
Greater bumblebee (Bombus magnus)
- You can read more about the greater bumblebee (Bombus magnus) HERE<PŘIPRAVUME>
The following text provides only information for comparison
- Unlike the ground bumblebee:
– you have a small chance of encountering it
– it is slightly smaller (mothers up to 22 mm)
– its yellow colors are lighter, similar to those of the wood bumblebee (B. lucorum) or the double bumblebee (B. cryptarum)
– the band on the prothorax behind the head is thicker
– the band on the prothorax reaches below the wings (side view)
– the males have a coloration including yellow hairs on the facial part of the head very similar to that of the wood bumblebee males (B. lucorum)
Greater bumblebee (Bombus magnus) – queen
Photo: Flickr
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 27/6/2021
Greater bumblebee (Bombus magnus) – male
Photo: BWars
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: Á. Ungerová 2020
Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
Common bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus)
- You can read more about the garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) HERE<PŘIPRAVUME>
- You can read more about the Humen bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus) HERE<PŘIPRAVUME>
Both species are very similar and it is not reliable to distinguish them reliably by color, therefore we will not discuss their species differences in this section and will only compare them with the ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) .
The following text provides only information for comparison
- Unlike the common bumblebee:
– head significantly long and curved, resembling a horse's head in shape
– bristlier and longer hairs
– two stripes on the chest
– first yellow stripe on the 1st tergide of the rump
– all stripes of the same light yellow color and the same shade
– some varieties practically black, yellow elements only faintly indicated, or practically unrecognizable
– very similar to the humen bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus), even with the presence of dark varieties
– pointed rump
– coloration of the male differs from that of the mother/workers
– feeding of larvae through pockets (pocket makers)
– often establish a second generation
Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
Source: Sikora A., Michołap P., Kadej M., Sikora M. Tarnawski D. 2018 "Pszczoły w miście: Trzmiele Wrocławia", Wyd. Stowarzyszenie Natura i Człowiek.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Source: Sikora A., Michołap P., Kadej M., Sikora M. Tarnawski D. 2018 "Pszczoły w mięści: Trzmiele Wrocławia", Wyd. Stowarzyszenie Natura i Człowiek.
.
Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) – head of a worker
Photo: O. Hercog 29/8/2021
Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 27/6/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 27/6/2021
Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) – worker
Photo: O. Hercog 29/8/ 2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – worker
Photo: O. Hercog 3/7/2021
Garden bumblebee – (Bombus hortorum – male)
Photo: O. Hercog 18 /7/ 2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 24/7/2021
Occurrence
- Palearctic species (Europe, North Africa to Central Asia)
- Present everywhere in the Czech Republic, even in mountainous areas, it is one of the most abundant bumblebee species in our country
- It inhabits open habitats in the cultural landscape in lowlands and midlands (gardens, meadows, orchards), forest edges
- Occurs throughout Europe
Habitat
- mesophilic meadows (neither too wet nor too dry) to peat bogs, spruce mountain forests
- it is common in anthropocenoses (in human-made environments)
Life cycle
- Type:
– morning - Number of generations per season:
– one to two per season
– new mothers hibernate from August, but some establish their own nest instead of hibernation - Queen mothers look for nesting sites:
– from the beginning of March (depending on temperatures) - Nesting of mothers:
– March to April - New queen mothers appear:
– from mid-July depending on weather and food sources - Males appear:
– from mid-July
– males appear after the mothers, then no more mothers are born (the original mother is no longer in the nest or no longer lays fertilized eggs from which workers and mothers are born
– some males later come from unfertilized eggs laid by workers) - The nest ends:
– under favorable conditions (depending on weather and food sources) as late as September (first generation)
– the nest often ends early if the workers are not able to quickly replenish the supplies consumed by the new mothers
Here you can clearly see how bumblebees mate. The male will not mate with the female until she opens her sting chamber and extends her curved stinger. The stinger is curved upwards, so the male has no chance in any other position.
If the male sits on the female's back, it's not about mating, it's just about the male's efforts...in vain. "-)
Wood bumblebee – (Bombus terrestris) – mating
Photo: V. Ptáček
Bumblebee sting
Photo: D. Greenwood
It is common for bumblebees to return to the places where their mothers were born. It is also common for a mother to compete with a mother of another species that is interested in an interesting nesting site or has already settled there.
In such a fight, the stronger one usually wins, and very often such fights end in the death of one or both opponents.
Jaromír Čížek describes cases where he found a large number of dead mothers near an interesting nesting site.
You can read about mothers returning to their birthplaces HERE
Young bumblebee mothers soon after mating find a suitable place for overwintering – hibernation. They very often choose a place on the edge of the forest. There they have a chance to hibernate in the dry. Here they dig a shallow chamber for overwintering (hibernaculum) in the forest floor.
A typical example of a wintering site (hibernaculum) of a bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Photo: J. Čížek
Wintering site (hibernaculum) of the ground bumblebee (B. terrestris)
Photo: J. Čížek
Feeding the larvae
- Pollen storers (pollen stores) the queen/workers collect pollen from pollen baskets into reservoirs formed from empty cocoons or as wax structures in the middle of the nest. Apparently, bumblebees use several ways to create their reservoirs. However, the essential thing is that they store pollen and distribute it from the reservoirs.
They trample the pollen in the reservoirs and adjust it with their mandibles to reduce the area of contact with the air. The workers do not close the reservoirs.
This protects it from oxidation and degradation. To feed the larvae, they collect it here and mix it with nectar, which they feed to the larvae through their feeding holesGround bumblebees are a polylectic species – they do not prefer just one plant, but a wide range of different flowering plants; therefore, even in pollen containers, different colors and shades of pollen that workers bring appear. This is because bumblebees do not cooperate in the same way as bees, and each worker collects pollen on its own, without passing on information about its source to her sisters.
Ground bumblebees are an early-flowering species, flying abundantly to early-flowering trees and a number of honey-bearing plants.
In the following video you can see what such pollen reserves might look like.
Nest location
- Nests:
– in the ground in abandoned nests of small mammals (rodents, moles),
– in various cavities under the surface up to 1.5 m, but sometimes shallower near the surface of the ground (20-30 cm), as the burrow was prepared by the previous inhabitant
Nest size
- Mostly strong nests
- Number of individuals 100 – 600 (in the wild), 1000+ in the laboratory
Visiting Pac-Man
Vestal bumblebee (Bombus vestalis)
Bohemian bumblebee (Bombus bohemicus)
You can read more about virgin patchouli HERE
Pachmallow attack strategy:
- The mother of the vestal moth (B. vestalis) is looking for a developed host nest, she needs a lot of workers.
- She kills the original mother, sprays pheromones on the strong workers, and they kill each other.
- If by chance some survive, they enslave the remaining workers.
- However, there are known cases of the coexistence of a mother wasp and a bumblebee
- You can read more about the Pachmello strategy HERE
How to distinguish a bumblebee from a wasp
Vestal bumblebee (Bombus vestalis), sometimes also called summer bumblebee
- You can read more about virgin patchouli HERE
- Unlike the ground bumblebee (B.Terrestris}:
– it does not have a worker caste
– a distinctive large round head
– the absence of a yellow band on the 2nd tergide
– neither females nor males have pollen cups on the last pair
– dark wings
– the male differs from the female
– it makes a distinctive gurgling sound in flight
Bombus vestalis
Source: Sikora A., Michołap P., Kadej M., Sikora M. Tarnawski D. 2018 "Pszczoły w mięści: Trzmiele Wrocławia", Wyd. Stowarzyszenie Natura i Człowiek.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Source: Sikora A., Michołap P., Kadej M., Sikora M. Tarnawski D. 2018 "Pszczoły w mięści: Trzmiele Wrocławia", Wyd. Stowarzyszenie Natura i Człowiek.
Note the differences in coloration and the typical head of the patchouli.
Vestal bumblebee (Bombus vestalis) – female
Photo: O. Hercog 01/08/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 27/6/2021
Vestal bumblebee (Bombus vestalis) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 24/7/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 24/7/2021
The head is in most cases a reliable sign to distinguish between a bumblebee and a cicada. You can see for yourself that cicadas have a large and robust head. Very often it is their head that will help you with their detection.
Here is a comparison of the head of a vestal bumblebee (B. vestalis) and a ground bumblebee (B. terrestris)
Bombus vestalis - male - head
Photo: O. Hercog 4/8/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: Animal photos
Even in the example of the mother of the virgin patchouli (B. vestalis), you can see the large, typical patchouli head.
Vestal bumblebee (Bombus vestalis) – female
Photo: Ondřej Hercog 27/6/2021
Bohemian bumblebee (Bombus/Psithyrus bohemicus)
- You can read more about Bohemian patchouli (B. bohemicus) HERE
In the following text we only provide information for comparison.
- Unlike the ground bumblebee (B. terestris):
– it does not have a worker caste
– it has a distinctive large round head
– it lacks a yellow band on the 2nd tergide
– neither females nor males have pollen cups on the last pair
– the castes have dark wings
– the male differs from the female
– it makes a distinctive gurgling sound in flight
Bohemian bohemian (Bombus bohemicus)
Source: Sikora A., Michołap P., Kadej M., Sikora M. Tarnawski D. 2018 "Pszczoły w mięści: Trzmiele Wrocławia", Wyd. Stowarzyszenie Natura i Człowiek.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Source: Sikora A., Michołap P., Kadej M., Sikora M. Tarnawski D. 2018 "Pszczoły w mięści: Trzmiele Wrocławia", Wyd. Stowarzyszenie Natura i Człowiek.
Bohemian bumblebee (Bombus bohemicus) – female
Photo: O. Hercog 5/6/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – mother (queen)
Photo: O. Hercog 27/6/2021
Bohemian bumblebee (Bombus bohemicus) – male (head)
Photo: O. Hercog – 25/7/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 24/7/2021
Here too, note the difference in the shape of the head of a bumblebee and a wasp.
Bohemian bumblebee (Bombus bohemicus) – male – head
Photo: O. Hercog – 23/7/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: Animal photos
Breeding information
- Nest box
– a larger nest box is recommended, corresponding to a large nest (ideally an internal volume of 12-15l) - Corridor
– the corridor is medium long, but can be longer (not essential)
– they were successfully kept in a hive with a long corridor (hive in the garage, flap outside on the wall) - Settlement
– hives are not accepted willingly after settlement, the keeper often fills them in several attempts - Returns of mothers in spring after hibernation
– common - Self-settlement in the hive
– relatively common, queens often settle hives already occupied by other queens
– attacking an already occupied queen and fighting each other is common - Food requirements
– they are not demanding on a quality pollen source, they can also consume frozen pollen
– supplementary feeding is recommended at the time when new queens hatch and fly to mate, such queens can take stock of the nest and accelerate its demise
- Interesting facts about breeding:
– quite often, breeders only “produce” a nest with males
– ground bumblebees are often kept in breeders’ hives. If they manage to settle, or if they settle themselves, they are a grateful object for breeding beginners
– they can also be purchased on the market in the Czech Republic and make the start of breeding easier, but we deliver bumblebees from the wild.
You can read how to buy bumblebees HERE . However, we recommend settling bumblebees from the wild in your area on the relevant page. They will be with you longer and they will probably be abundant ground bumblebees
– the nice thing about ground bumblebees is that thanks to them, breeders gradually gain experience and start breeding rarer species of bumblebees.
Interesting facts
- The ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) has 9 subspecies, with only the subspecies Bombus terrestris terrestris and, more recently, terrestris dalmatinus, naturally occurring in our territory.
- Sometimes, mothers in the wild establish another nest without hibernation. The chances of mothers from the second cycle breeding, mating and hibernation in the season are not great
- In laboratory breeding of this species, mothers sometimes establish nests without hibernation
- In laboratory conditions sometimes more than 1000+ individuals (used for pollination service)
- Due to its unique ability to thrive on canned food, this species is easily bred in the laboratory and is used for pollination of agricultural crops
- Bumblebees from large-scale farms, which are bred for pollination service, are unsuitable for free flight in gardens and orchards - they represent a potential threat to bumblebees in our nature.
Not only as strong food competitors, but especially when occupying natural nesting sites, where they often kill the mother who discovered the nesting site earlier. Read more about this topic HERE - You can also read about the risks of exposure to bumblebees from large-scale farming in ZD.
Photos and videos
Beautiful photographs by Hana Kříženecká give us a glimpse into the world of bumblebee mothers, as well as workers and males
Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – queen
Photo: H. Kříženecká
Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – queen
Photo: H. Kříženecká
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – worker
Photo: H. Kříženecká
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – worker
Photo: H. Kříženecká
The male must not be forgotten either. His short head is clearly visible in these shots.
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: H. Kříženecká
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: H. Kříženecká
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 25/7/2021
Ground bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) – male
Photo: O. Hercog 1/8//2021
In the next section you will find examples of videos documenting the life stages of bumblebees.
Also check out the YouTube videos Čmeláci PLUS and their accompanying text.
The young mother returns to the hive with a load of pollen. The mother has become a worker bee and is behaving like a worker. She did not have time to mate and so she will become an aunt.
Illustrative shot of bumblebee mating.
Also check out the YouTube videos Čmeláci PLUS and their accompanying text.