Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
The fat, cozy bumblebees are easy to observe. The large insects belong to the wild bee family and also form colonies with several hundred animals. We introduce you to the 17 most common domestic bumblebee species.
In a nutshell
- belong to the wild bees
- form states with several hundred animals
- usually nest underground, e.g. B. in abandoned mouse nests
- 36 native bumblebee species, but many are threatened with extinction
- only young queens overwinter
Types from A - E
Field bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Body length: 15-18 millimeters (queen), 9-15 millimeters (worker), 12-14 millimeters (drone)
- Colony size: up to 150 specimens
- Coloration: gray to black, sometimes reddish-brown rump, yellowish to reddish-brown rump
- Nest: under moss pads and weeds, in tree cavities, in buildings, in bumblebee boxes
- Frequency: often
Tip: The field bumblebee is considered one of the most peaceful bumblebees, and it is also very easy to settle in bumblebee boxes.
Tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)
- Body length: 17-20 millimeters (queen), 8-18 millimeters (worker), 14-16 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 400 specimens
- Coloration: brown body, black belly, brown-white rump
- Nest: in bird nests or nest holes, in wall and rock crevices and in buildings (attics, stables, barns)
- Frequency: often
Notice: The tree bumblebee also often nests in suspended bumblebee boxes. However, this species defends its territory more attentively, which is why you should not get too close to a nest.
Common bumblebee (Bombus distinguendus)
- Body length: 19-22 millimeters (queen), 11-18 millimeters (worker), 14-16 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 120 animals
- Coloration: golden to brownish-yellow hairs, dark ringed, yellowish band near the head
- Nest mostly underground (often mouse nests etc.), sometimes also above ground (e.g. in tufts of grass or bird nests)
- Frequency: highly endangered in Germany
Thistle bumblebee (Bombus soroeensis)
- Body length: 15-17 millimeters (queen), 10-14 millimeters (worker), 12-14 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 150 animals
- Colouration: similar to the more common stone bumblebee, but also completely black specimens
- Nest: often underground in mole holes and cuckoo nests
- Frequency: moderately common, but population is declining
Notice: This native species of bumblebee is also known as the bluebell bumblebee.
Dusky bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- Body length: 20-23 millimeters (queen), 11-17 millimeters (worker), 14-16 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 600 animals
- Colouring: two dark yellow, narrow transverse bands near the head
- Nest: usually underground, up to 150 centimeters deep in mole burrows, mouse nests and cavities, sometimes in gaps in walls or under floorboards, in bumble bee boxes
- Frequency: one of the largest and most common bumblebee species
Types of F - G
Field bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus)
Source: Hectonichus, Apidae - Bombus ruderatus, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Body length: 21-24 millimeters (queen), 11-18 millimeters (worker), 15-17 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 100 animals
- Colouring: broad brown-yellowish transverse band near the head, two further transverse bands in the rear area, rear part with white fur
- Nest: mostly underground, often in mouse nests
- Frequency: rare
Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
- Body length: 17-22 millimeters (queen), 11-16 millimeters (worker), 13-15 (drones)
- Colony size: up to 120 animals
- Colouration: brownish to golden yellow transverse band near the head, narrow yellow band at the end of the thorax, white rump
- Nest: underground in mouse nests or above ground in bird nests and cavities, e.g. B. of buildings, bumblebee boxes
- Frequency: relatively common
Notice: The garden bumblebee is easily confused by non-professionals with the rather similar dark ground bumblebee. However, it has a longer head and a yellow double band in the middle of the body.
Grass bumblebee (Bombus ruderarius)
- Body length: 16-18 millimeters (queen), 9-16 millimeters (worker), 12-14 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 100 animals
- Coloration: predominantly black, reddish-yellow rump
- Nest: Build nests under tufts of grass and moss, in hollows in the ground
- Frequency: endangered in Germany
Notice: Like so many native bumblebee species, the grass bumblebee has become rare due to intensive agriculture and the resulting destruction of its habitat.
Grey-white bumblebee (Bombus mucidus)
- Body length: 18-20 millimeters (queen), 12-16 millimeters (worker), 13-14 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 80 animals
- Colouring: mainly off-white with black transverse bands and a black head
- Habitat: only in the Alps
- Nest: underground, v. a. in mouse nests
- Frequency: quite common regionally limited
Big bumblebee (Bombus magnus)
Source: Jan Ove Gjershaug, Norsk institutt for naturforskning, Bombus magnus03, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 3.0
- Body length: 19-22 millimeters (queen), 11-17 millimeters (worker), 14-16 millimeters (drones)
- Population size: up to 300 animals
- Colouration: black ground colour, two broad, golden-yellow transverse bands, grey-white abdomen
- Nest: underground, mostly in mouse nests
- Frequency: Critically Endangered
Notice: The large bumblebee is easily confused with the light and the dark bumblebee. You can tell the species apart by looking at the thoracic bandage: In the case of the common bumblebee, this extends about two millimeters beyond the base of the wings.
Types of H - R
Light-colored bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)
- Body length: 18-21 millimeters (queen), 9-16 millimeters (worker), 14-16 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 400 animals
- Colouring: two light yellow thoracic transverse bands approx. two millimeters wide, grey-white rump
- Nest: moves into abandoned underground mouse nests
- Frequency: fairly common regionally
Mountain bumblebee (Bombus sichelii)
- Body length: 17-20 millimeters (queen), 13-16 millimeters (worker), 13-15 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 150 animals
- Colouring: black with three grey-yellow transverse bands
- Habitat: in Germany only in the Bavarian Alps
- Nest: underground in abandoned mouse nests
- Frequency: vulnerable
Fruit bumblebee (Bombus pomorum)
Source: Picto Sauvignet louis didier, Bourdon Bombinae bombus ponorum bourdon, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Body length: 18-20 millimeters (queen), 12-14 millimeters (worker), 15-17 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 50 animals
- Colouring: Black basic coloring with a grey-white transverse band near the head and a reddish-yellow abdomen
- Nest: builds nests underground
- Frequency: highly endangered in Germany
Types from S - Z
Sand Bumblebee (Bombus veteranus)
- Body length: 16-19 millimeters (queen), 10-16 millimeters (worker), 12-15 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 130 animals
- Coloration: off-white to dark gray ground color with white transverse stripes on the abdomen
- Nest: above ground under tufts of grass and moss pads, sometimes in mouse nests
- Frequency: vulnerable
Notice: The sand bumblebee is basically native to all of Germany, but is mainly found on the north German coast.
Rock bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
- Body length: 20-22 millimeters (queen), 12-16 millimeters (worker), 14-16 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 300 animals
- Colouring: black with red abdomen
- Nest: often above ground, e.g. B. in walls, piles of stones, gaps in rocks, bird and bumblebee boxes, sometimes underground in mouse nests
Notice: The rock bumblebee has a fondness for various types of clover, especially trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) and white clover (Trifolium repens).
Wood bumblebee (Bombus sylvarum)
- Body length: 16-18 millimeters (queen), 10-15 millimeters (worker), 12-14 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 150 animals
- Coloration: two yellowish-brown transverse bands, light underside of thorax, abdomen with orange fur
- Nest: mostly above ground, e.g. B. in squirrel dens or under tufts of grass, sometimes underground
- Frequency: fairly common regionally, but stocks are declining
Notice: Contrary to its name, the wood bumblebee is not found in forests, but like other native bumblebee species it also prefers forest edges, orchards, parks and gardens.
Meadow bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)
- Body length: 15-17 millimeters (queen), 9-14 millimeters (worker), 11-13 millimeters (drones)
- Colony size: up to 120 animals
- Coloration: black ground colour, yellow transverse band on the thorax, reddish-orange abdomen
- Nest: mostly above ground, e.g. B. in squirrel dens and bird nests, in nest boxes, under hedges and bushes
- Frequency: quite common
Notice: The little meadow bumblebee is the first bumblebee to wake up from hibernation in spring and set up its bumblebee colony. The young queens go into hibernation as early as August.
frequently asked Questions
How many bumblebee species are there in total?There are around 250 different bumblebee species worldwide, most of which are at home in the cool and temperate climate zones of the northern hemisphere. In Germany, 36 native bumblebee species are known, many of which are threatened with extinction or have already become extinct.
What are cuckoo bumblebees?Cuckoo bumblebees, also known as parasitic bumblebees, do not form their own colony, which is why there are no workers in these species. Instead, the queen lays her eggs in the nests of other bumblebee species, eating their eggs as well. There are six cuckoo bumblebee species in Germany.
Where do bumblebees hibernate?In contrast to honey bees, where the whole colony overwinters, the bumble bee colony dies off in the fall, including the old queen. Only the young queens, who are already looking for winter quarters in late summer, overwinter. They often bury themselves in molehills or compost heaps.