Insect
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Size
Workers 11–17 mm, Queens up to 22 mmQueen is about the length of a small grape
Weight
0.85 g (queen)About the same as a small paperclip
Lifespan
Workers 2–6 weeks, Queen up to 1 year
Top speed
28 km/h
Rarity
Common
M vs F
Queens are much larger than workers. Males have a yellow facial patch and more yellow body hair; they cannot sting.
Habitat
Gardens, meadows, hedgerows, farmland, heathland
Best time
February–November — queens emerge first in early spring
Conservation
UK: Green
LC
💡 Did you know?
Bumblebees can warm up their flight muscles by shivering! On cold mornings you can see them vibrating to reach flying temperature before take-off. They also buzz at the exact right frequency to shake pollen loose from flowers — a trick honeybees can't do.
Buff-tailed Bumblebees use a 'buzz pollination' technique at 400 Hz that resonates certain flowers to release pollen — tomato plants cannot release pollen any other way, making them essential in commercial greenhouses worldwide.
Often confused with
White-tailed Bumblebee
Red-tailed Bumblebee
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