Common carder bee (Bombus pascuorum)

The only one of three all-ginger bumblebees to be a member of the ‘Big 7’ widespread and abundant species, it is found in a wide range of habitats across the UK, including gardens. The earliest of the carders to emerge in spring and usually the latest-flying of the bumblebees from summer nests (Buff-tailed bumblebees, Bombus terrestris, increasingly show winter-nesting behaviour). Males, workers and queens are similar in appearance, ginger-brown all over, with no clearly-delineated tail.

Females usually have creamy-white sides to the thorax, while males are often yellower, with more obvious facial hair tufts.

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