These ‘between flight stopovers’ can last for up to an hour and #bees are not always careful about where they take them - sometimes the middle of a footpath can be the ‘ideal’ spot! So if you see a big #bumblebee chilling on the ground don’t always presume she needs rescuing!
5/9

…to the ground zig-zagging across the landscape - they’re house-hunting. Stopping to explore in long grass and vegetation, hollows in trees, stone walls, under sheds and even compost heaps. During this time #bumblebee queens spend a lot of their time resting between flights. 4/9

#Bumblebee queens emerge in early spring from #hibernation and immediately need to feed - that’s why early flowering plants are so important. Apart from feeding their mission at this time is to find a suitable site to establish a nest. Hence you will observe queens flying low…
3/9

Correction: #bumblebee (thanks to the folks who pointed it out) :)