The Shrill Carder Bee (Bombus sylvarum) is an insect in the Apidae family of bumblebees. It is also known as the Knapweed Carder Bee.
The Shrill Carder Bee is mostly pale-yellow-grey with a black band on it thorax and two black bands on its abdomen. It has an orange tip to its abdomen. Its body has fluffy hairs. It has a rounded head with short antennae.
It grows to about 2 centimetres (less than one inch) in length.
It is common across Europe. It can be seen from May to September.
It feeds on nectar and pollen from flowers. It is a pollinator.
The Shrill Carder Bee lives in colonies of 100-200 individuals, with a queen bee, and worker bees. It is not seen in swarms and it does not live in a hive.
Instead of a hive, it nests in grass tussocks. The queen bee selects a nest site and worker bees build the nest.
It has four stages in its life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
Location of photographs: Paris, France
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM