Collecting nectar

Collecting nectar

I spotted a Black Ruderal Bumblebee while at work on Ragwort.

This totally black bumblebee species, devoid of any colour yellow, makes its nest underground, in the burrows of mice or voles.

It’s a rare species that is in serious decline all over Europe.

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Common Ragwort prefers generally to grow in cool and high rainfall areas.
It has a long flowering period, lasting from june till november.
During this period 1 plant may produce 2000 to 2500 yellow wild flowers and about 100.000 (!) seeds.

Dutch name : Grote zwarte tuinhommel op Jacobskruiskruid
German name : Schwarzer Feldhummel auf Jakobs-Greiskraut
Latin name : Bombus ruderatus var. harrisellus / Senecio jacobaea