bumblebee

A gardener reports many active bumblebee nests in both their front and back yards and is working to make sure there is enough food for the next generation of queen bumblebees. The queens feed in early autumn to build up reserves before hibernating underground through the winter, and can be identified by their large size, roughly two to three times that of worker bees.

The large bumblebees being spotted this autumn are likely queens, not a new species or an invasion. After feeding on flowers to build up energy, the queens seek sheltered spots to hibernate through winter before founding new colonies in spring, making them vital pollinators for next year's generation.