Science & Life Skills

Follow a bumblebee queen as she wakes up from winter sleep and searches for a new home.

We learned that bumblebee queens sleep underground during winter, about 8 inches beneath the snow and earth.

The queen woke up hungry and weak, needing to find food quickly. She lives in the harsh climate of the Alps where only a few bumblebees survive their first days.

The queen found nectar in flower blossoms to restore her energy. Now she needs to find a home for the season, ideally a burrow abandoned by another animal.

The queen tried to get into burrows, but ground squirrels and ermines defended their homes. She also found nesting boxes, but they were occupied by bird families like blue tits.

BUMBLEBEES - The Secret World of Bees