The garden bumblebee: more efficient than the honeybee
by Michael Watson (comments: 0
The garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) is a relaxed contemporary with a really long proboscis. And thanks to its long proboscis, the garden bumblebee is the world pollination champion! Scientists have discovered that the garden bumblebee pollinates plants better than the honeybee. They therefore perform an immensely important task in fruit and vegetable cultivation.
Name | Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) |
Size | 11–26 mm |
Flight time | March to August |
Occurrence | Rare |
Flower preference | Unspecialized |
Habitat | Bumblebee boxes, mouse holes, bird nests, barns |
Nesting method | Colony size 50 to 150 bumblebees |
Nesting site, nest building and bumblebee colony in the garden bumblebee
As early as March, the 18-26 mm garden bumblebee queens wake up from their beauty sleep to find a suitable nesting site for their colony. The nesting queens then buzz and hum around gardens, parks and meadows. The search does not usually take long, however, as the garden bumblebee is not at all picky when it comes to choosing a nesting site: mouse holes, bird's nests, bumblebee boxes, barns, attics, and so on. If they nest on the ground, the nest is usually close to the surface below the ground.
The garden bumblebee colony comprises between 50 and 150 workers and drones, which fly from May to August. Sometimes - and really only sometimes - a bumblebee queen even produces a second generation. Depending on the weather, this second colony then flies into September. Later generations are very rare among wild bees and bumblebees.
Better than the honeybee: Why is the garden bumblebee better at pollinating?
The long-nosed bumblebee is a welcome guest for fruit and vegetable growers. Thanks to its long proboscis, it can reach nectar that other wild bees cannot. This is why the garden bumblebee is considered one of the most important pollinators of fruit trees. As part of her research, scientist Lisa Brünjes from the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen found that the garden bumblebee is much more efficient at pollinating field beans than other bee species: "Honeybees and ground bumblebees flew to the field beans most frequently, but they did not always pollinate, but mostly just robbed nectar."
Bombus hortorum is completely different: A single flower visit by a garden bumblebee ensures cross-pollination of the plant. In contrast to ground bumblebees and honeybees, garden bumblebees are not (yet) used commercially in agriculture.
Which wildflowers does the garden bumblebee like?
When there are no fruit trees or vegetable plants around, the garden bumblebee can often be seen on labiates or butterfly flowers. Here too, its long proboscis helps it to reach hidden nectar reservoirs that remain hidden from other bee and bumblebee species. Meadow clover, thistles, field beans, monkshood, comfrey and foxglove are the garden bumblebee's favorite wildflowers. In principle, however, the garden bumblebee is not very choosy when it comes to selecting flowers. It is polylectic, i.e. not specialized in certain plant families.
How do I recognize a garden bumblebee? Identification aid and external characteristics
Sometimes it is not so easy to distinguish the garden bumblebee from the ground bumblebee. But there are some external features that can help you identify the garden bumblebee. First of all, the proboscis and the elongated head are obvious features of the garden bumblebee. In queens, the proboscis can even grow up to 21 mm long!

Another distinguishing feature is the coloration of the garden bumblebee. Unlike the ground bumblebee, the garden bumblebee has three yellow horizontal bands. But be careful: the two middle stripes are very close to each other, so this is called a double band. The butt of the garden bumblebee has white hairs.
Nature conservation and endangerment: This is how rare the garden bumblebee is
In Germany, all wild bee species (including bumblebees) are protected. It is therefore illegal to disturb or even destroy garden bumblebee nests. Among native bumblebees, the garden bumblebee is the rarest bumblebee species. Although it is not yet considered "endangered", it is on the so-called early warning list. Industrial agriculture and its use of pesticides as well as the sealing of surfaces are the main reasons for the decline in insects.