Bumblebee queens spend the winter just below the ground or under piles of brush and leaves. In spring, they may lay their eggs in shallow burrows or under piles of vegetation.

To protect bumblebees, avoid pesticides and leaf blowers. Create brush piles. Leave the leaves in garden beds. Plant native shrubs that bloom in early spring and masses of native flowers (like goldenrod and asters) that bloom late in the fall.