Common carder bee, Bombus pascuorum
Common carder bee, Bombus pascuorum (submitted by NaturePlus user Lynette Jones)
The common carder bee is one of Britain’s most common and widespread bumblebee species, emerging in early spring and remaining active until particularly late in the year. In the south, it can often still be seen visiting flowers in November. It nests on the surface of the ground in small colonies.
As a medium-sized bumblebee with a highly variable colour pattern, this species is often confused with the moss carder bee, Bombus muscorum, and carder bumblebee, Bombus humilis. But they don’t have black hairs on their abdomen, whereas B. pascuorum usually has at least a few. Shaggy hair is another distinguishing feature of B. pascuorum.
Generally, the southern form of this species is darker than the northern form.
View a rotating common carder bee specimen, southern form
