Bumblebee
Pollinator
Bumblebees are familiar, round-bodied pollinators, valued for their ability to work cool, breezy weather. Queens establish small annual colonies, while workers visit a wide range of flowers. Their dense fur picks up pollen readily, making them excellent helpers for soft fruit, tomatoes, beans and flowering plants.
How to identify it
Most bumblebees are 10-22 mm long, stout and noticeably furry, with black, yellow, white, orange or buff bands depending on species. A large queen appears in spring; smaller workers follow later, with males often most visible in late summer. Their life cycle runs from egg to grub, pupa and adult. They make a deep buzz and are generally more rounded and woolly-looking than honeybees.
How it helps your garden
Bumblebees pollinate flowers as they collect nectar and pollen, including crops that benefit from their vibration or "buzz" pollination, such as tomatoes. They can forage in cooler conditions than many insects and help apples, raspberries, peas and garden flowers form fruit and seed. Diverse bumblebee populations support a healthier garden food web.
How to attract it
Offer single, nectar-rich flowers from early spring to autumn, including pulmonaria, comfrey, foxglove, thyme, catmint, scabious and late ivy. Select RHS Plants for Pollinators and allow some lawn edges to grow longer. Leave a quiet tussocky corner, old mouse hole or sheltered compost edge for nesting. Provide shallow water, and avoid pesticides that harm bees and their larvae.
Tips
A queen searching low over grass may be looking for a nest site, so leave her undisturbed. Do not move a nest unless safety makes it essential; most colonies are short-lived. Deadhead some flowers, but leave enough blooms and seedheads to keep the season going.
Bumblebee: frequently asked questions
How does bumblebee help the garden?
Bumblebees pollinate flowers as they collect nectar and pollen, including crops that benefit from their vibration or "buzz" pollination, such as tomatoes.
How do I attract bumblebee to my garden?
Offer single, nectar-rich flowers from early spring to autumn, including pulmonaria, comfrey, foxglove, thyme, catmint, scabious and late ivy.
How do I identify bumblebee?
Most bumblebees are 10-22 mm long, stout and noticeably furry, with black, yellow, white, orange or buff bands depending on species.
General guidance for encouraging wildlife in UK gardens. Page updated 19 Sep 2026.