Bumblebee queens need the right flowers to feed themselves and their young video

Bumblebees queens need early spring flowers.

It really is quite simple. For newly emerged bumblebee queens after awakening from hibernation:  No flowers = no food = no bumblebees! Without the appropriate forage plants, bumblebee queens will not survive at this critical time of the year for them. No nests will be established.

My nest box surrounded by queen bumblebee forage flowers

This double ornamental cherry looks pretty. It is useless for bumblebee queens and other pollinators!

Queen bumblebee feeding upon white dead nettle- 15 April 2011

Plant more flowers for the queens in your gardens to get nests established, some of which are shown in the video

Remember the longer the queen is out foraging, the more likelihood there is of pests and predators eating her eggs, larvae and stored food supply. Keep her near her nest to help prevent this!

If anyone wishes to email me a photograph of a bumblebee queen foraging on a flower, I can add it to the next video if they wish! Thanks. George

Recommended reading.

“Plants for bees: A guide to the plants that benefit the bees of the British Isles” by W.D.J. Kirk and F.N. Howes.- Excellent updated book, covers wild and honey bees, with lavish photographs, written by experts.

“Garden Plants valuable to bees” by International Bee Research Association – much cheaper, essentially a plant list, written by experts, no photographs!

Read more articles about bumblebees.

For more information and to help save bumblebees join the Bumblebee Conservation Trust