In a milder part of the country, or year, the first emerging bumblebees are drawn to clumps of Crocus tomassinianus.These already mated queen bumblebees, which have overwintered in protected sites like holes in banks and are the only survivors from the previous year’s colonies, have to find nectar and pollen to be be able to start a new colony. So the first emerging species really do benefit from flowers like this, since there are very few native wild flowers in bloom just now.