As early as the end of February, the first bumblebees are out and about in the garden looking for food. The wild bee - because that's what it is - is a valuable helper in the garden and pollinates numerous flowers and crops.

Ground bumblebees also produce honey

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. What are ground bumblebees?
  3. Endangered bumblebees
  4. Can bumblebees sting?
  5. Useful garden helpers
  6. appearance
  7. habitat and distribution
  8. life cycle
  9. protect ground bumblebees
  10. feed bumblebees
  11. frequently asked Questions
  12. Is it true that ground bumblebees shouldn't be fed?
  13. Are there also flowers that the bumblebee doesn't like to fly to?
  14. Can you build a bumblebee box yourself?

    15. the essentials in brief

    • Ground bumblebees are ground-dwelling bumblebees, relatives of bees
    • Like most insects, ground bumblebees are on the Red List, which means they are threatened with extinction
    • Therefore, ground bumblebees should be protected in the garden and under no circumstances be fought

    What are ground bumblebees?

    Ground bumblebees belong to the genus of bumblebees (lat. Bombus), which in turn are assigned to real bees (lat. Apidae). Like these, they are colony-forming insects consisting of a queen, a bumblebee colony of around 50 to 600 workers, depending on the species, and the male drones. There are 36 different bumblebee species in Germany, 16 of which are already on the list of endangered species.

    An estimated 250 different species are known worldwide, most of which occur in the climatically temperate regions of the northern hemisphere of the world. Where it is warmer, the deposits are limited to the cooler mountainous areas. In addition to the colony-forming species, there are so-called cuckoo bumblebees, which, however, are parasites. Like the eponymous bird, these lay their eggs in the nests of foreign bumblebee species and displace them.

    species

    The common bumblebee (Latin Bombus terrestris) is one of the most common and largest bumblebee species. The generalist occurs in almost all landscapes in Germany and can also often be seen in gardens. In addition, due to its great importance in pollination of plants, this species is bred and used in agriculture almost all over the world. In addition, there are other species that are of great importance for garden culture and that we would like to introduce to you at this point.

    German name Latin species name Happen habitat Characteristic features size of the queen size of workers
    Dark bumblebee Bombos terrestrial originally Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor Forests, meadows, fields, gardens both in the lowlands and in the mountains black ground colour, two yellow transverse bands, white abdomen 20 to 30 millimeters 9 to 10 millimeters
    Big bumblebee bombus magnus Central Europe especially in the lowlands: heathland, grassland, fallow land, meadows, embankments. fields, gardens Black ground colour, two yellow transverse bands, white abdomen, distinguishing feature: front band extends beyond wing base 19 to 22 millimeters 11 to 17 millimeters
    Light yellow bumblebee Bombus lucorum primarily Europe open areas in the lowlands and in the mountains Black ground colour, first horizontal stripe light yellow to lemon yellow, second horizontal stripe dark, white abdomen 18 to 21 millimeters 9 to 15 millimeters

    With regard to their way of life and other characteristics, however, the species of common bumblebee mentioned here are very similar.

    Endangered bumblebees

    For a variety of reasons, ground bumblebees and other bumblebee species are severely endangered. In addition to natural enemies such as hungry birds, hedgehogs or shrews, weather conditions and the availability of food available all year round also play a major role in population development. Industrial agriculture not only destroys valuable habitats for bumblebees and also causes bumblebees to die off in the wild through the use of toxic sprays such as various insecticides.

    Do not remove bumblebee nest

    It is all the more important to protect ground bees in the garden and not to remove nests, for example. Don't be afraid of the animals: they won't harm you, but instead will diligently visit your plants. In any case, the removal of bumblebee nests is prohibited by law, since they are highly endangered and protected species. Only in absolutely exceptional cases - for example if the nest is in the house and you are proven to be allergic - are specialists allowed to remove it.

    Can bumblebees sting?

    Basically, all bumblebee species are rather peaceful animals that rarely sting. In any case, only the female bumblebees have such a stinging device, while the drones remain stingless. Unlike bees or wasps, bumblebees also threaten before they sting their alleged attacker. To do this, they first lift one leg - which people often interpret as "waving" - and finally hum loudly and turn on their backs. The bumblebee stretches its abdomen forward, ready to attack - and you should see very quickly that you get away.

    Even if you're not fast enough and get stung, it doesn't matter: bumblebees emit less venom when they sting than bees, and their stingers don't have a barb and don't get stuck in the skin. As a result, the sting of a bumblebee is less painful than that of a bee. The following symptoms are characteristic of a bumblebee sting:

    • reddening of the skin
    • swelling of the sting site
    • formation of a white halo
    • Wound burns at first
    • Itching starts later

    Overall, the symptoms mentioned are less pronounced than with a bee or wasp sting and should subside after about a week.

    correct behavior

    Ground bumblebees are not aggressive and are not usually a threat to humans at all

    Don't be afraid if a bumblebee comes near you: the insect usually just mistakes you for a flower, for example because you are wearing sweet-smelling perfume or colorful clothes. In this case, keep calm, move slowly and in no case do not hit the animal - the insect will quickly realize its mistake and fly away. The peaceful bumblebees only sting when they feel threatened by, for example, hectic movements.

    Useful helpers in the garden

    Don't be alarmed if you discover a bumblebee nest in the garden - and don't try to remove it under any circumstances. The buzzing flying wonders are extremely useful animals that are responsible for pollinating numerous garden plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini or pumpkins. Bumblebees can pollinate many more flowers than bees, for example, because their proboscis is longer and they can therefore reach them more easily.

    It is also thanks to their dense fur - in which the pollen gets caught - that the pollen is distributed more evenly on the stigmas - and the fruits later grow more evenly and symmetrically. A beautifully grown tomato or strawberry is usually the result of bumblebee pollination. Bumblebees are the first fliers of the year and are therefore indispensable for the pollination of early-flowering fruit trees, such as cherries, apricots or peaches.

    Bumblebees fly even when it's cold

    In contrast to the honey bee and other bee species, bumblebees fly very early in the year - even when it is still far too cold for other pollinating insects. The hibernating queen of the dark bumblebee can already be found outdoors from temperatures of around two degrees Celsius, while the honey bee only flies from around 12 to 15 degrees Celsius. This is made possible by the dense hair, which reliably protects the “bees in fur” from the cold.

    For this reason, some bumblebee species even occur at altitudes of up to 6000 meters and ensure pollination of the alpine flora there - these are altitudes that honey bees do not even dare to climb. In addition, bumblebees are incredibly hard-working: the lively fellows fly back and forth for up to 18 hours a day, covering many kilometers in the process. They pollinate thousands of flowers. In this respect, too, it is not just the bumblebees that outperform their close honey-collecting relatives.

    digression

    bumblebees in agriculture

    No wonder, then, that the dark bumblebee in particular is specially bred and used in agriculture. Entire colonies find a new habitat in various greenhouse crops, for example strawberries or tomatoes, where they are used to pollinate fruit and vegetables - which we can later buy in the supermarket. The following video shows exactly how this works:

    youtube

    appearance

    The thick bumblebees have black hair and are easily recognizable by their two yellow bands. Depending on the species, they are colored differently. The dark bumblebee, for example, has dark yellow transverse bars, the light yellow somewhat lighter. However, you have to look very closely to notice the difference. The last two abdominal segments are white in all species. Compared to other bumblebee species, bumblebees have somewhat shorter proboscises, which, for example, only cover half the length of the body of the dark bumblebee.

    Incidentally, this species is the largest bumblebee species in Germany, whose queens can grow up to 30 millimeters long. The other bumblebees in the state only reach half this length and reach a maximum length of 17 millimeters.

    digression

    That's why bumblebees can fly

    For a long time scientists racked their brains about why the fat bumblebees, which are rather heavy compared to other insects, can fly at all. After all, their wings are too short in relation to their large, heavy body - so how do the animals stay in the air? Scientists only discovered the secret around 50 years ago: the extremely mobile wings of the bumblebee beat up to 200 times per second, creating air vortices - which ultimately give the animal the lift it needs. Bumblebees are not as sluggish as they appear at first glance, but true flight artists.

    habitat and distribution

    The dusky and light yellow bumblebees in particular are (still) quite common in Europe, where they prefer open landscapes and sparse forests. In a bumblebee-friendly garden, the animals also like to nest because they can find plenty of food here - in the wild this is becoming increasingly difficult due to industrial agriculture, monocultures and the use of toxic insecticides.

    The dark bumblebee builds particularly large nests, and their colonies can contain up to 600 individuals. As their name suggests, ground bumblebees like to build their nests underground and prefer to use abandoned mouse nests for this, but also other opportunities such as the cavities in appropriately built dry walls, piles of stones or the like.

    life cycle

    Bumblebees, which are already buzzing around at single-digit temperatures from the end of February / beginning of March, are always young queens from last year. These have hibernated underground and are now looking for food - the supplies have long been used up. In addition, the animals need a lot of energy to build a nest and establish a new colony of bumblebees, because in contrast to honey bees, only the queens overwinter. These were already mated by the drones in the previous year and start laying eggs after building the nest. From these hatch first the workers, later the drones and finally the new young queens. These in turn hibernate alone, while the old queen dies with her state at the end of summer.

    A bumble bee colony is born

    youtube

    The young queens, awakening in late winter, flee as soon as the first rays of spring sun warm the ground. They search for food as well as potential nesting sites, which they mainly in

    • mouse holes
    • stone columns
    • dry stone walls
    • pile of deadwood
    • or special nesting boxes

    find. If such an opportunity is found, the bumblebee will bring material to build the nest, such as grass, moss or leaves. She crushes it and forms a small hollow ball with the help of her saliva. In this, the queen first lays wax cells filled with nectar or pollen, which serve as food. This is followed by the construction of the brood cells in which the first fertilized eggs are laid. Here the bumblebee shows itself as a real hen, because it warms and protects the clutch until the first larvae hatch.

    These feed on the previously stored food, pupate and transform into mature workers within about three weeks. These now take over the search for food and the care of the brood, because the queen is now only responsible for laying the eggs. In this way, the colony of bumblebees increases very quickly to up to 400 to 600 animals, provided the weather is favourable.

    Towards the end of summer, male drones develop from unfertilized eggs, while new queens hatch from some fertilized eggs thanks to a special diet. These mate with the drones, fill their storage containers called honey bladders with food and go to their winter quarters. This is often found in tree roots, wall cracks or piles of leaves, where the animals finally freeze. The rest of the bumblebee colony dies, along with the old queen.

    background

    dangers in winter

    However, the dangers of winter are problematic and one of the reasons why bumblebees are dying. An estimated 80 percent of young bumblebee queens do not survive the cold season, but fall victim to parasites or hungry animals such as hedgehogs, shrews or moles. It is all the more important that you as a gardener offer safe quarters for the winter.

    Protect ground bumblebees in the garden

    When the garden blooms all year round, there is never a lack of bees and bumblebees

    There are many ways to create a cozy living area for ground bumblebees in your own garden and thus make a significant contribution to the protection of these animals, which are so important to us all.

    Which plants should you grow?

    The simplest method of bumblebee protection is to grow bumblebee-friendly plants. Basically, bumblebees are not particularly choosy when it comes to their food plants - but they still have favorite plants, which are usually characterized by a particularly high nectar and pollen content. Also make sure that your garden blooms all year round so that the hungry fellows can always find food. In contrast to bees, bumblebees do not keep stocks and are therefore dependent on a richly set table.

    Suitable forage plants at a glance

    Important early bloomers Summer and long-term bloomers rich in nectar Nectar-rich shrubs
    Crocus, Cowslip, Columbine, Spotted Lungwort, Grape Hyacinth, Winterling, Squill Red and white clover, horn clover, viper's bugloss, knapweed, cornflower, dandelion, mallow, ground ivy, dost, tomatoes, strawberries, clematis (Clematis) Black elder, dog rose and other wild roses, fruit trees, raspberries, hawthorn, spindle trees, blackberries, currants, gooseberries

    Ecological garden maintenance

    So that the bumblebees feel comfortable in your garden, it should have some possibilities for nest building. To do this, simply install a bumblebee box, which is usually very well received, leave piles of stones and dead wood in suitable places and perhaps build a dry stone wall planted with long-blooming flowers with larger gaps between the stones. However, the management of the garden is much more important than suitable nesting sites: do not use chemical sprays, especially insecticides, pesticides and other poisons. These not only kill the bumblebees, but also numerous other useful garden dwellers.

    feed bumblebees

    Because of their size alone, bumblebees have an enormous energy requirement. Especially shortly after hibernation, when the food reserves are exhausted and the bumblebee cannot find enough flowering plants, it is often too weak and threatens to die of hunger. If a bumblebee is crawling on the ground or other surface and is only moving slowly and will not fly away, you can offer a sugar solution to strengthen it and save it.

    And this is how you feed the bumblebee:

    1. Mix half a teaspoon of sugar with a little water.
    2. Use cold water.
    3. Stir the mixture vigorously until the sugar has completely dissolved.
    4. Scoop some sugar solution up to a teaspoon.
    5. Offer this to the bumblebee.
    6. Remain calm and try not to tremble.
    7. Alternatively, draw some sugar solution into a syringe (without a needle).
    8. Drip some of the solution right next to the weakened animal.

    frequently asked Questions

    Is it true that ground bumblebees shouldn't be fed?

    Some experts are critical of feeding weakened bumblebees, arguing that sick animals also reproduce as a result. Disease and parasitic infestations would spread, eventually doing more harm than good. The fact is, however, that ground bumblebees are an endangered and protected animal species - and by feeding them you not only save a single bumblebee, but - especially in late winter / spring - an entire bumblebee colony. In addition, the animals are not only weakened by diseases or parasites, but often simply due to a lack of suitable forage plants.

    Are there also flowers that the bumblebee doesn't like to fly to?

    In general, all types of flowers with double flowers are not suitable for bumblebees and other insects as forage plants. Many hybrid varieties have beautiful flowers, but no nectar or the bumblebee cannot get it. Therefore, it is better to cultivate species with simple flowers. Also silver linden and wisteria are not suitable for bumblebees. The problem with both species, however, is that they attract many of the animals - and then they practically starve to death in front of the laid table. Numerous dead bumblebees under the corresponding plants testify to this every year.

    Can you build a bumblebee box yourself?

    The variant with the flower pot upside down and with the drainage hole dug into the ground is very old and is often still touted by gardening magazines. Unfortunately, this method is completely unsuitable as a bumblebee nest because the flower pot offers no protection from the rain - the moisture penetrates through the hole into the nest and practically makes it moldy - and the bumblebees cannot crawl in through an entrance on the side. However, the following solution is much more elegant:

    youtube

    Normal bumblebee nests, especially those located above ground, for which NABU has published building instructions on its website, are not accepted by ground bumblebees.

    tips

    You can also grow suitable forage plants for the common bumblebee on the balcony and thus contribute effectively to bumblebee protection. In particular, summer flowers such as nasturtium, stonecrop, marigolds, helichrysum and cosmea, flowering herbs such as sage (e.g. common sage) and chives as well as balcony raspberries and balcony tomatoes attract many of the animals as well as other bees and butterflies.

Category:

Animals in the garden