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Bumblebees for beginners

Whether you’re interested in starting your own bee-friendly garden, or simply want to appreciate these pollination heroes, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at our beginner’s guide below for interesting facts and interactive resources, to help show you why these pollinators are the bees’ knees!

A Buff-tailed bumblebee male feeding on a purple flower.

A Buff-tailed bumblebee feeding on the purple flowers of catmint.

Why bumblebees need our help

We’ve lost 97% of our wildflower-rich meadows since the 1940s. As the number of flowers in our countryside have declined, so too have our bumblebee pollinators, and they need our help.

A common carder bumblebee on a flower with its hind leg visible

How to identify bumblebees

At first glance, bumblebees are hairy and often have colourful patterns. Some look quite similar, but with a little practice and our top tips you’ll soon be able to tell them apart.

© Thalia Brown

A close-up of a Buff-tailed bumblebee queen looking to the camera.

About bumblebees

Learn about the ‘BIG 8’ bumblebees you’re most likely to see, and the differences between bumblebees and honeybees.

© Clare Flynn Bumblebees attending to the eggs in a nest.

Bumblebees attending to the eggs in a nest.

Bumblebee nests

Did you know, different species of bumblebee live in different nests, from bird boxes to underground burrows?

© Ema Lou Rowe A hibernating Buff-tailed bumblebee queen in an a small hole in the ground.

A hibernating Buff-tailed bumblebee queen in an a small hole in the ground.

Lifecycle

Bumblebees are social insects, ruled by a queen. Take a look at our illustrative guide to a bumblebees lifecycle.

A close-up of a Buff-tailed bumblebee dusted in pollen and standing on the purple petals of a flower.

Our gardening resources

Make your green space a haven for pollinators and bumblebees with our free resources and downloads.

© Tom Luck Two members of staff looking closely at a sunflower with a Brown-banded carder bumblebee feeding on the centre.

Two members of staff looking closely at a sunflower with a Brown-banded carder bumblebee feeding on the centre.

Bumblebee species guide

Spotted a bumblebee and not quite sure what it is? Check out our species guide for help and advice.

© Bex Cartwright A Garden bumblebee feeding on a purple flower.

A Garden bumblebee feeding on a purple flower.

Bumblebee FAQs

Still got questions? Head to our frequently asked questions page and we’ll see if we can help!

© Pieter Haringsma A close-up of a Shrill carder bumblebee feeding on a purple flower.

A close-up of a Shrill carder bumblebee feeding on a purple flower.

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Your support will help our mission to save the bumblebees!

A member of staff talking to a group of volunteers in a gardens.

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From guided walks to open gardens, discover what’s on near you

Teemill bumblebee ID mug.

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