1. DISTRIBUTION
The Common carder bee (Bombus pascuorum) [Soortenregister] is the most common bumble bee in the Netherlands [Wildebijen.nl] and in the garden. The species is found in all landscape types [Peeters et al. 2012].
2. BEHAVIOUR
2.1. ACTIVITY
The bumble bee is active from half April until the beginning of October [Peeters et al. 2012].
2.2. DEVELOPMENT
The species is univoltine, i.e. produces one generation per year. They nest above and under ground in moss and grass, old mice nests and barns [Wildebijen.nl],[Gokcezade et al. 2010].
A colony consists of about 60-200 individuals [Wildebijen.nl],[Gokcezade et al. 2010].
2.3. FOOD SOURCES
This species is not picky and will fly on almost every flower. This is due to their long tongue, on average 8.9 mm in length [Wildebijen.nl] , with which they can reach to the nectar in every flower type [Peeters et al. 2012].
2. IDENTIFICATION
The species is recognisable by the brown hairs on the thorax [Wildebijen.nl].
The colors are variable and categorized in two subspecies [Peeters et al. 2012]:
- B. p. floralis
- Found in the entire country
- Variable amount of light colored hairs on underside, thorax sides, face and legs [Peeters et al. 2012]
- The brown hairs have lighter colored edges [Gokcezade et al. 2010]
- The abdomen has a brown or light brown tip [Gokcezade et al. 2010]
- Tergites I – III are light colored [Gokcezade et al. 2010]
- Sides black [Gokcezade et al. 2010]
- B. p. moorselensis
- Found in the West of the Netherlands
- Almost no light colored hairs, thorax and last three tergites warm brown colored
- Tergites I – III are black [Gokcezade et al. 2010]
- Sides black [Gokcezade et al. 2010]
Below is an overview of colors I’ve found in the garden so far.
B. p. floralis
Orange brown with white
The hairs on the abdomen of this specimen were thinned, and show grey colored tergites. As far as I know tergites are black so I’m not sure why this specimen is different.
Light brown
B. p. moorselensis
Orange brown

4. PARASITIC RELATIONS
- Sicus ferrugineus [Durrer & Schmid‐Hempel 1995]
Literature
Durrer & Schmid‐Hempel 1995 Durrer, S., & Schmid‐Hempel, P., 1995. Parasites and the regional distribution of bumblebee species. Ecography, 18(2), 114-122.Gokcezade et al. 2010 Gokcezade, J. F., Gereben-Krenn, B. A., Neumayer, J., & Krenn, H. W., 2010. Feldbestimmungsschlüssel für die Hummeln Österreichs, Deutschlands und der Schweiz (Hymenoptera, Apidae). Biologiezentrum/Oberösterreichische Landesmuseen.
Peeters et al. 2012 Peeters, T.M.J., H. Nieuwenhuijsen, J. Smit, F. van der Meer, I.P. Raemakers, W.R.B. Heitmans, C. van Achterberg, M. Kwak, A.J. Loonstra, J. de Rond, M. Roos & M. Reemer, 2012. De Nederlands bijen (Hymennoptera: Apidae s.l.). - Natuur van Nederland 11, Naturalis Biodiversity Center & European Invertebrate Survey - Nederland, Leiden.
Soortenregister Nederlands Soortenregister
Wildebijen.nl wildebijen.nl, "De Nederlandse bijen en hun relaties, overzicht van in Nederland en Vlaanderen voorkomende solitaire en sociale bijen (Apidea s.l.)"
Citation
Krischan, O.R., 2025. Bombus pascuorum. Kerfdier, www.kerfdier.nl. Accessed on [date month year].