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so-called 'brown-field' sites, as well as open woodland, hedgerows and roadside verges in the
rural areas.
Bombus terrestris (Linnaeus)
The queens are often very large, and have a distinctive colour pattern. There is usually one
golden yellow band on the front of the thorax, though this is often darker yellow, and reduced in
size. There is another yellow band on the front of the abdomen, and the 'tail' is buff-coloured.
Queens of this species are among the first to emerge from hibernation, and they are conspicuous
as they seek pollen and nectar from Sallow (Salix spp.) bushes, especially, and as they fly low
over rough grassland seeking potential nest-sites. Workers, however, do not appear before late
April. The workers differ from the queens in their smaller size, but also in that the 'tail' is
generally white, rather than buff. This means that it is often difficult to distinguish workers of
this species and those of B. lucorum. Two useful, but not absolutely reliable clues are the darker,
golden to brownish yellow of the bands (especially the thoracic one), and a slight brownish
transitional zone between the black of the abdomen and the white tail in terrestris (this is best
observed by 'tubing' a bee as described above, and examining it with a hand-lens). Fresh males
and females emerge from late May onwards, and can be seen continuously until late September.
Like the former species, B. terrestris is common and widespread in both urban and rural habitats
throughout Essex.
Bombus pratorum (Linnaeus)
The queens of this species also emerge early from hibernation, and workers arc seen as early as
late March in some years. Fresh males and females emerge from the middle of May onwards,
and may be seen from then until late August. The females usually have a yellow band on the
thorax, another on the fore-part of the abdomen, and a reddish 'tail'. The females of this species
are typically smaller than those of lucorum and terrestris. Sometimes the yellow band on the
abdomen is broken in the middle, and sometimes missing entirely. Workers arc similar in
colouration, but often very tiny indeed. In Essex the yellow band on the abdomen is most
commonly vestigial or absent in workers. The males are brightly coloured when freshly
emerged, with wide yellow bands on thorax and abdomen, and a red 'tail' as in the females.
They also have yellow hair on the front of the head. B. pratorum is widespread and common in
Essex. Like the above two species it is commonly observed in urban parks and gardens, and can
exploit a very wide variety of flower species.
Bombus lapidarius (Linnaeus)
Queens of this species emerge from hibernation a little later than the above species - usually
from early March onwards. In late April and May, Bluebells are a favourite food-source. The
queens are typically very large, with a velvet-black coat, and a red 'tail'. The first workers are
generally not seen until mid May or later. They arc similar in colour to the queens, but smaller -
often very tiny. The fresh males and females appear from mid June onwards and may be seen
until late September or early October. The males are similar in colour-pattern to the females,
except that they have a yellow 'collar' on the thorax. There arc sometimes yellow hairs on the
scutellum, giving the impression of a second yellow band on the thorax in some specimens.
However, this is much less evident than the yellow collar. They also have a tuft of yellow hairs
on the face, which distinguishes them from the superficially similar workers of Bombus
pratorum. This species, too, is common and widespread in Essex, but it is not so general in its
habitats. The workers are most commonly found on small Fabaceae, such as clovers and
trefoils, and so often frequent the less heavily managed grasslands such as country parks,
roadside verges, edges of golf courses and urban 'waste land'. They also exploit a number of
garden flowers, such as Lavatera, Hebe and oilier flowering shrubs.
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 16(1999)