Buff-tailed bumblebee
Bombus terrestris
Bee
A large, common European bumblebee whose queens are among the earliest to appear in late winter or early spring. Short-tongued, adaptable, and highly generalist, it uses gardens, parks, farms, and countryside habitats, working open flowers and often becoming winter-active in mild cities where winter-blooming plants are available.
Plan for this species
Location-fit plant set for Chicago, IL: host and specialist plants first, then nectar, fruit, seed, foliage, and shelter plants that still fit the current and mid-century climate read.
0 essential relationships / 6 supporting plants
Clustered bellflower
Supporting / Nectar plants
Bumblebees are the chief pollinators of clustered bellflower; the buff-tailed bumblebee climbs into the open bells of the dense clusters for nectar and works the deep violet-blue heads heavily through early to midsummer.
Lenten rose
Supporting / Nectar plants
Early-emerging queen bumblebees such as the buff-tailed bumblebee are among the first insects on the wing in late winter and early spring, exactly when Lenten rose is in bloom; they work the nodding flowers for nectar and pollen when little other forage exists.
Meadow crane's-bill
Supporting / Nectar plants
The saucer-shaped flowers are well-suited to bumblebees; the buff-tailed bumblebee and other Bombus work the bloom heavily across its European range at the height of summer.
Spotted deadnettle
Supporting / Nectar plants
In its native European range the long-tongued buff-tailed bumblebee is a principal pollinator of Lamium: it reaches the nectar at the base of the two-lipped, partly tubular flower and brushes the sheltered stamens under the helmet-shaped upper lip. The long bloom season makes the plant a steady bumblebee forage source, including early in shade.
Maiden pink
Supporting / Nectar plants
Buff-tailed and other European bumblebees are generalist visitors to sunny grassland flowers like maiden pink, taking nectar and pollen across its native range.
Sneezewort
Supporting / Nectar plants
Bumblebees such as the buff-tailed bumblebee visit the loose summer flower sprays for nectar across the European range the plant is native to; cited as plausible generalist foraging on a good, accessible nectar source.
Plants in the catalog
Nectar plants · 6
Bumblebees are the chief pollinators of clustered bellflower; the buff-tailed bumblebee climbs into the open bells of the dense clusters for nectar and works the deep violet-blue heads heavily through early to midsummer.
Early-emerging queen bumblebees such as the buff-tailed bumblebee are among the first insects on the wing in late winter and early spring, exactly when Lenten rose is in bloom; they work the nodding flowers for nectar and pollen when little other forage exists.
Buff-tailed and other European bumblebees are generalist visitors to sunny grassland flowers like maiden pink, taking nectar and pollen across its native range.
The saucer-shaped flowers are well-suited to bumblebees; the buff-tailed bumblebee and other Bombus work the bloom heavily across its European range at the height of summer.
Bumblebees such as the buff-tailed bumblebee visit the loose summer flower sprays for nectar across the European range the plant is native to; cited as plausible generalist foraging on a good, accessible nectar source.
In its native European range the long-tongued buff-tailed bumblebee is a principal pollinator of Lamium: it reaches the nectar at the base of the two-lipped, partly tubular flower and brushes the sheltered stamens under the helmet-shaped upper lip. The long bloom season makes the plant a steady bumblebee forage source, including early in shade.
Range
Native across much of Europe, North Africa, and western Asia; now also present in some regions where it was introduced for managed pollination.
Sources & citations
Cite this page
Use this citation for the Plotwright wildlife page. The source cards below show the upstream references behind the taxonomy, range, conservation, host, forage, and habitat claims.
Plotwright. (n.d.). Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). Retrieved 2026, June 27, from https://plotwright.com/wildlife/bombus-terrestris
Sources for wildlife facts
8 cited fact fields are backed by the source cards below.
Bumblebee Conservation Trust: Buff-tailed bumblebee
Species profile for identification, early queen activity, nesting period, garden/countryside habitat, and broad foraging behavior.
Backs 6 fields
Taxonomy
Range
Lifecycle
Foraging
Nesting
Garden habitat
GBIF: Bombus terrestris
Taxonomic and occurrence-backed range cross-check.
Backs 2 fields
Taxonomy
Range