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Broken-belted bumblebee

Bombus soroeensis

Basic Information

Common name: Broken-belted bumblebee
Scientific name: Bombus soroeensis

Lemon collar, notched mid-band, white tail.

Found: Scottish Highlands - rare elsewhere.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusLess Common
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionLocalised
Tail ColourWhite Tail

Keynotes

  • Small bee - seen later in the year

  • Like small White-tailed bumblebees but longer face and peach tail-trim

  • Males with big tail trim may resemble Early bumblebees but have black faces

  • Notch is black hairs - not wear and tear

Nest Information

  • Underground or under cover, they like old rodent nests

  • Usually 1 cycle per year

  • May - November

  • Medium: around 80 - 150 workers

  • No known UK cuckoo

Distribution

  • Seen in Scotland; rare in England and Wales

  • Like high altitudes

  • Habitat: moorlands, grasslands, coastal heath, meadows, open woodland

Castes

QUEEN

May
QUEEN diagram
No Photo

  1. Black

  2. Collar - lemon

  3. Mid - notched

  4. White, peach trim

Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Abdomen:Mid Band / Buff Tail, Mid Band / White Tail
Head:Black Head

WORKER

June
WORKER diagram
No Photo

  1. Black

  2. Collar - lemon

  3. Mid - notched

  4. White, peach trim

Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Abdomen:Mid Band / Buff Tail, Mid Band / White Tail
Head:Black Head

MALE

August
MALE diagram
No Photo

  1. Black

  2. Collar - lemon

  3. Mid - notched

  4. White, peach trim

Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Abdomen:Mid Band / Buff Tail, Mid Band / White Tail
Head:Black Head

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Likes brambles and clovers.

  • Bellflowers

  • Comfrey

  • Dead-nettle

  • Knapweed

  • Legumes

  • Raspberries

  • Rosebay willowherb

  • Scabious

  • Trefoils

🌼

Brambles

🌼

Clover

Heather

Heather

Calluna vulgaris