This is Ireland’s smallest bumblebee and a relatively recent arrival having first been recorded here in 1947. Since then it has largely colonised the island in its entirety and is now one of our commonest bumblebees. Queens and most workers are quite distinct with a yellow band on the thorax, one on the abdomen and an orange tail. Some workers are very faintly marked however and the yellow bands are sometimes absent. Males are similar but have an extra band on the thorax and yellow hairs on the head. It is not necessarily the earliest bumblebee to appear each year, although workers and males in particular appear earlier than many other species.

Distribution in Ireland: Widespread and generally common.

Flight Period: March-October. Workers and males appear early in the year, typically in April and May respectively.

Habitat: A wide range of habitats including woodland edges and clearings, brownfield sites, farmland hedges and verges, scrub, parks and gardens.

Flowers visited: Emergent queens visit dandelions, Flowering Currant, willows, winter heathers and crocuses. Workers will also visit these flowers, in addition to brambles, Raspberry, Bilberry and various blossoming shrubs. The males will also visit a variety of flowers, but are particularly drawn to Raspberry and bramble blossom.

Personal Observations: I have encountered this species frequently in shrubby or wooded lowland sites in Co. Down, Antrim, Armagh, Donegal, Wicklow and Carlow. In my experience open habitats are inhabited less often by this species when compared to shrubby or wooded areas. The  one active nest that I have encountered was constructed underground in a south-facing bank in a garden setting.