2026-05-16 11:26 UTC
…the nest and nurse the subsequent broods.
These subsequent broods tend to produce larger #bees as the queen now has this support network of daughters helping her.
So to recap:
Small #bumblebees out foraging recently are likely the first batch of female workers.
7/9
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Replies (1)
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@thebeeguy@mastodon.ie 2026-05-16 11:28
They’re small mostly due to relying solely on the queen for food when developing. They’re not a ‘type of bee” but smaller individuals of their species. They only live as adults for a short time. They help ensure that subsequent broods develop and are larger in size. 8/9 #bees #bumblebees #nature #naturephotography