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Barbut's cuckoo bee

Bombus barbutellus

Basic Information

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

Three yellow bands, white tail, visible chitin.

Mostly found in south and central England.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusLess Common
Cuckoo StatusCuckoo
DistributionLocalised
Tail ColourWhite Tail

Keynotes

  • Big bee with short hair, visible chitin and square 'boxy' head

  • Females do not have pollen baskets

  • Faded males with greyish looking bands can be seen in late summer

  • Uses Garden bumblebees, and possibly Ruderal bumblebees, as hosts

Nest Information

  • Uses Garden and Ruderal bumblebee nests

  • Possibly 2 cycles a year

  • April - October

  • Numbers unknown

Distribution

  • South & central England

  • Scarce in north England

  • Rare in Wales & Scotland

  • Like: Gardens, meadows, river valleys, brownfield sites, woodland

Castes

MALE

June
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy black

  2. Collar & rear

  3. Faint front

  4. White tail

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

FEMALE

April
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy black

  2. Collar & rear

  3. Faint front

  4. White tail

Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Black / White Tail
Head:Black Head

FEMALE

April
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy black head

  2. Collar & rear bands

  3. Faint front band

  4. White tail

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

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Likes range of garden & wildflowers.

  • Brambles

  • Buddleia

  • Clovers

  • Dead-nettles

  • Ground ivy

  • Hawthorn

  • Knapweed

  • Thistle

  • Umbellifers

🌼

Dead-nettle

Thistle

Thistle

Cirsium

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Vetches