This poster features watercolour and ink illustrations of the queens of twelve species of bee along with an approximate guide as to when they begin to emerge from hibernation in the Springtime.

Bees are seldom seen in the U.K. over the winter as they hibernate whilst food is scarce and the weather is at it’s worst. The first bees you are likely to see in your garden in the Springtime will be the queens. This poster shows the queens of twelve different species of bee along with their approximate sizes and when they start to appear. The bees are illustrated in watercolour and ink and are labelled with hand lettering.

The background of the poster is shaded from a cold blue for February, through a slightly warmer purple representing March and April to the summery pink of May. These months are also written down the sides of the poster. Each queen bee is labelled underneath with the species in bold, then the Latin name and approximate size in italics. Bear in mind when trying to identify bees that the queens will be significantly larger than workers and the males.

This poster features our most common 'Big Seven' bees, which are the Tree Bumblebee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Early Bumblebee, Red-tailed Bumblebee, Common Carder Bee, Garden Bumblebee and the White-tailed Bumblebee. It also includes some much rarer species such as the Bilberry Bumblebee, Red-shanked Carder Bee, Ruderal Bumblebee and the Moss Carder Bee (You are very lucky if you see these!) This poster is a rough guide for decoration as well as information. If you want to learn more about bees then check out the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

These posters are printed on substantial 250gsm silk paper and are available at A4 size (29.7cm x 21cm) or A3 size (42cm x 29.7cm). They are wrapped individually in biodegradable, compostable cello bags. They are sold unmounted and unframed but are designed to fit into standard sized frames.

An A3 poster will be cello wrapped and sent in a triangular poster tube with a note on the best way to unroll it so it stays flat. A4 posters will be sent flat in a reinforced board backed envelope. All orders are wrapped in tissue paper ad include a note of thanks. Gift cards are available, please add a note at checkout. Standard orders are dispatched using Royal Mail First Class.