Spring species showcase: the two-spotted bumble bee
Posted onMarch 18, 2026byAnnika Wilcox|Bumble Bee Recovery, Native Pollinator Initiative, News and EventsPhoto: A. Wilcox
What is the Bumble Bee Recovery Program? Since the 1990s, bumble bee numbers have been plummeting and that spells ecological disaster. Here at Wildlife Preservation Canada, we work to save at risk species of bumble bee from disappearing by monitoring them in the wild, breeding them for release at our conservation lab in Ontario, and studying their poop for parasites! We even host special community science events across the province to track population sizes, locate declining populations and provide hands-on training programs with the goal of expanding our efforts across Canada. We are the only organization in the country working to rebuild at risk bumble bee populations through conservation breeding.
It’s finally happening – the snow is melting, my boots are covered in mud, and birdsong is filling the air. It’s spring, and that means one thing: the bees are coming back! After a long winter’s sleep in a cozy burrow or rotten log, queen bumble bees are waking up and setting out to find the perfect place to make their nest. While I’m anxiously awaiting my first bumble bee sighting of the year, I have a pretty good idea of what species to look out for first; even in March, when temperatures are still frigid, two-spotted bumble bees (Bombus bimaculatus) are undeterred!
The two-spotted bumble bee is one of the most widespread species in North America. Found from Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia all the way to Montana, these bees thrive in a wide range of habitats. They’re most commonly spotted in early spring, as queens emerge from diapause – the insect version of hibernation – and start their search for suitable nesting sites. If you’re hoping to spot one (as you should be!), keep an eye on early-blooming flowers in gardens, parks, and woodland edges, where queens will stop to refuel between scouting flights.
Range map of the two-spotted bumble bee, based on observations from community scientists on BumbleBeeWatch. Submitting photos of the bumble bees you see to the platform is helpful in determining species ranges and tracking populations, and is a great way to contribute to bumble bee conservation work! Map via bumblebeewatch.org.
Like other bumble bees, a single two-spotted queen starts an entire colony. After she selects a good nesting spot, maybe a hollow log or an abandoned rodent burrow, she lays eggs and gathers nectar and pollen to feed her first batch of larvae. Once those young develop into worker bees, the colony grows rapidly – even two-spotted bumble bees, which typically have rather small colony sizes, may have thriving nests with dozens of workers by summer. But in these early weeks of spring, every two-spotted bumble bee you see is a queen, working hard to get her new colony off the ground (or rather, in it).
(Left): Two-spotted bumble bee encountered during a Wildlife Preservation Canada bumble bee survey, with its distinctive abdominal pattern visible. Photo by A. Wilcox. (Right): Illustration of the typical pattern seen on a two-spotted bumble bee. The ‘two spots’ are clearly visible on the second abdominal segment.
As you may have anticipated, this species gets its name from a distinctive field mark: two-spotted bumble bees have two small yellow spots in the centre of their second abdominal segment, sometimes appearing as a yellow W-shape under the band of yellow on their first segment. This bee has a warm yellow thorax with a small black spot in the centre, and an otherwise black abdomen. Once you know what to look for, this species is relatively easy to recognize. That being said, early spring bumble bees rarely sit still for long – they tend to move briskly from flower to flower, pausing just long enough for you to get a brief glimpse before they buzz away.
Alongside signalling that spring has finally arrived, the emergence of bumble bees in the spring is important for another reason. Since two-spotted bumble bee queens are so tolerant of cold weather, they are among the first pollinators active each year, visiting plants that bloom well before most insects emerge. Bloodroot, hepatica, and trout lilies, all beautiful early-blooming wildflowers, rely on species like two-spots to move pollen from blossom to blossom, kickstarting the entire growing season.
And, thriving plants mean thriving insects, which support all sorts of other animals. The flowers visited by early bumble bees will later support caterpillars, beetles, and other insects that birds depend on to raise their young. Small mammals like shrews and bats also rely on abundant insects to fuel their busy lives. In that sense, the return of the two-spotted bumble bee is much more than a sign of spring; it’s the beginning of a much larger, interconnected seasonal chain reaction.
Two-spotted bumble bee male, showing what the ‘spots’ on the abdomen look like when viewed from the side. Photo by Sharon Nethercott on Bumble Bee Watch.
While many native pollinators are facing serious challenges from habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change, the two-spotted bumble bee remains a familiar and resilient presence across much of its range. That resilience offers a small bit of comfort – as we work towards ensuring that diverse bumble bee communities will exist for generations to come, it’s reassuring to know that these special early-risers will likely still be among the first bees greeting us each spring.
So the next time you’re out on a chilly March afternoon, keep an eye (and an ear) out for bumble bees. It might just be a two-spotted queen – proof that even after a long winter, spring is already underway.
Annika Wilcox
Ontario Programs Coordinator – Bumble Bee Recovery Program
Annika joined the WPC Loggerhead Shrike team as a Research Biologist in 2025 before moving to the Native Pollinator Initiative as Ontario Programs Coordinator. She has ample experience in environmental outreach, wildlife rehabilitation, and the ecological monitoring of birds, at-risk amphibians, reptiles, and insects. Annika holds a Master’s degree in Integrative Biology from the University of Guelph, where she researched the limiting factors of restored agricultural wetlands as a breeding habitat for birds, with an emphasis on Species at Risk.
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