This bumblebee has no common name but if it did it could justifiably be called the heathland bumblebee. It is very similar to other light coloured tailed bumblebees, especially Bombus hortorum (the Small Garden Bumblebee) but it has two buff bands on the thorax. The pollen sacks tend to be orange rather than yellow. It is quite a small bee and very active, rarely settling anywhere for long as it works its way around the heather flowers.
This is an early emerging species and in spring it loves to indulge in the flowers of sallow but can also be found in gardens, especially where there are winter flowering heathers to be raided.
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Find out more about Bombus jonellus in Dorset here: www.natureofdorset.co.uk/species_panel/Bumblebee%20%28B%2...
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