A long-standing uncertainty has been resolved concerning the early time evolution of light excitations in LH2 antennas of purple photosynthetic bacteria. Both isolated and native membrane-embedded LH2 antenna complexes were comprehensively studied using femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy together with conventional absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopies at low temperatures. The results show that exciton relaxation within isolated LH2 complexes is characterized by subpicosecond time constants, while spectral evolution associated with energy transfer between the antenna complexes in photosynthetic membranes is characterized by time constants greater than or equal to 1 ps.