Basic Information
Common name: Buff-tailed bumblebee
Scientific name: Bombus terrestris
Thick coat, 2 yellow stripes.
Loves lavender and thistles.
Classification
Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusCommon
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourWhite Tail
Keynotes
• Queens have buff-tail; but workers and males have white tails.
• Queen buff-tails are the UK's biggest bumblebees and emerge in early spring.
Nest Information
• Underground, they like old rodent nests
• Can be large with up to 500 bees
• Last 3-4 months
• Usually one or two generations per year
• Some nests now active over winter with queens foraging in Autumn
Distribution
- Common
- Widespread except the high uplands
- Found in most habitats
Castes
QUEEN
February
No Photo
• Yellow Collar
• Yellow mid-band
• Buff Tail
Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
WORKER
March
No Photo
• Yellow Collar
• Yellow mid-band
• White Tail
Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
MALE
June
No Photo
• Yellow Collar
• Yellow mid-band
• White Tail
Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Flower Preferences
Visits a wide variety of plants including:
- Bluebells
- Brambles
- Buddleia
- Cotoneaster
- Crocus
- Daffodils
- Devil’s-bit scabious
- Gorse
- Heathers
- Ivy
- Knapweeds
- Lavender
- Michaelmas daisies
- Prunus species
- Teasel
- Thistle
- White clover
- Willow