The bumblebees have been around for about a week. But it was only yesterday that I saw them feeding on the willow tree in the garden. Willow is an important early pollen source for bumblebee queens coming out of hibernation. This is what they are after.

Yellow willow pollen
There appears to two bees, the White-tailed bumble and the Buff tailed bumble. These are usually the first bees we see here in the west.

White tailed queen bumblebee
I’ve seen a few also, but not feeding on anything. Shame as I have a ton of crocus in bloom for them!
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I need to plant more crocus for next year. Mine were mostly in bloom during the snow, so need to find some that will flower a bit later. They will find yours if they are hungry!
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Wow! Blue sky AND bumble bees. Blessed indeed! 🐝
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Just need a bit more of each and I will feel spring is here at last!
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A wonderful combo: Willows; bumbles; and blue sky 🙂
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Indeed it is:)
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Lovely spring shots. With trepidation, I had to pollard my willow as it was so overgrown. I’ve put it off so long just because it provides early feeding for bees. There is never a good time to cut it! I comfort myself by telling myself there are lots of willows and alder down by the river.
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I know the feeling Eliza. I stopped my husband cutting one of the willows back too much, but I will give it another trim when the catkins are over! I have planted a couple of more different ones but they are very little yet, though one at least has good number of catkins.
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Your post bolsters my belief that spring is coming to us soon! Lovely photos.
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Thank you – here too spring is slow this year and keeps getting interrupted by cold spells!
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I saw bees all over my hellebores yesterday – a welcome sight – a couple of bumbles and the rest were of the non-fluffy kind – ha! that is the extent of my bee-naming ability!
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Hellebores are great for bees. The non-fluffy ones are either honey bees or solitary bees. I’d love to have more hellebores in my garden but at the moment I have enough shady places. But trees are getting more established.
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I was just wondering when I would see the bumblebees here. So lovely to see yours 😊.
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Hope yours arrive soon:-)
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😊
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I heard a bee today but couldn’t see him/her when I was gardening.Spring is springing for sure.
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It certainly is. If your bee was a bumblebee it was more likely to have been a her, as the queens should be starting to come out of hibernation now.
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I didn’t know that! So much I don’t know about our natural world. Thanks for sharing.
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You’re welcome Cynthia:)
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Thank goodness for the bees. I’m amazed that you can see the colour of their ‘tails’ when those beautiful wings are folded over their backs.
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It’s a bit tricky sometimes, that’s where taking photographs is great way to learn to identitfy bees.
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I’ve seen a few queens on the wing in different places… I’ll go look-see if I can get photos today! 😉
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Yes, a few queens about, they need more flowers and more warmth though!
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