Back to Bees

Barbut's cuckoo bee

Bombus barbutellus

Basic Information

Common name: Barbut's cuckoo bee
Scientific name: Bombus barbutellus

Big! Three bands, visible chitin.

Seen more in south and central England.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusLess Common
Cuckoo StatusCuckoo
DistributionLocalised
Tail ColourWhite Tail

Keynotes

  • Big bee, short hair, visible chitin, square head

  • Third yellow band not always clear

  • Females do not have pollen baskets

  • Faded males with greyish bands seen late summer

  • Use Garden bumblebee and Ruderal bumblebee nests

Nest Information

  • Uses Garden and Ruderal bumblebee nests

  • Possibly 2 cycles a year

  • April - October

  • Numbers unknown

Distribution

  • South, central England, less in north, rare Wales and Scotland

  • Habitat: gardens, meadows, river valleys, brownfield sites, woodland

Castes

MALE

June
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy, black

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Front - faint

  4. White

Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Front Band / White Tail
Head:Boxy, Black Head

FEMALE

April
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy, black

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Front - faint

  4. White

Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Front Band / White Tail
Head:Boxy, Black Head

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Males really like thistles.

  • Brambles

  • Clovers

  • Dead-nettles

  • Ground ivy

  • Hawthorn

  • Knapweed

🌼

Dead-nettle

Thistle

Thistle

Cirsium

🌼

Vetches