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Field Cuckoo Bumblebee

Bombus campestris

Basic Information

Common name: Field Cuckoo Bumblebee
Scientific name: Bombus campestris

Two yellow bands, distinctive yellow tail.

Across England and Wales, localised in Scotland and Ireland.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusLess Common
Cuckoo StatusCuckoo
DistributionLocalised
Tail ColourYellow Tail

Keynotes

* Band colour ranges from pale yellow to dark ginger-yellow

*Tail colour varies from pale yellow to buff or ginger-yellow

  • Only cuckoo with a yellow tail

  • Variable appearance but always has shiny abdomen and dark wings

  • Has all-black variant

Nest Information

  • Uses nests of Common Carder bee as hosts

  • May use nests other Carder bees and Red-shanked bumblebee as hosts

  • Ground surface, in tall grass, under hedges, woodland edges

  • 1 (possibly 2) nest cycle per year

  • Numbers unknown

Distribution

  • Widespread across England and Wales but declining in south

  • Rare and localised to specific coastal areas of Scotland and Ireland

  • Habitat: woodlands, flower-rich habitats, gardens, hedgerows, meadows

Castes

MALE

June
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy, black head

  2. Collar and rear band*

  3. Front band

  4. Large yellow tail*

Tail:Ginger/Yellow tail, Buff tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Front Band / Buff Tail, Front Band / Yellow Tail, Multiple ginger bands, Multiple yellow bands
Head:Black Head, Boxy

FEMALE

April
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy, black head

  2. Collar and rear band*

  3. Black

  4. Yellow tail with black 'V'

Tail:Ginger/Yellow tail, Buff tail, Black Tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band, All Black
Abdomen:All Black, Front Band / Buff Tail, Front Band / Yellow Tail
Head:Black Head, Boxy

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Likes white clover and knapweeds.

  • Bramble

  • Dandelions

  • Devil's-bit scabious

  • Clover

  • Ground-ivy

  • Hawthorn

  • Knapweeds

  • Teasel

  • Thistles

Bramble

Bramble

Rubus fruticosus

🌼

Clover

Knapweed

Knapweed

Centaurea