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Forest Cuckoo Bumblebee

Bombus sylvestris

Basic Information

Common name: Forest Cuckoo Bumblebee
Scientific name: Bombus sylvestris

White tail has yellow trim or black band and red tip.

Widespread and early emerging.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusLess Common
Cuckoo StatusCuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourWhite Tail

Keynotes

  • Earliest emerging, and smallest, British cuckoo bumblebee

  • Front abdomen band can be very faint

  • Females have very downcurved abdomen

  • Males very variable but have distinctive white tail with black band and red tip

Nest Information

  • Uses Early, Heath, Bilberry bumblebee nests

  • Underground, in thick vegetation, bird boxes, tree holes etc.

  • 1 or 2 cycles per year

  • Numbers unknown

Distribution

  • Widespread across UK

  • Can be common in some areas, less common in Ireland

  • Habitat: woodlands, gardens, parks, heaths, moors

Castes

MALE

June
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy, black

  2. Collar

  3. Front

  4. White, black, red

Tail:Buff tail, Ginger/Yellow tail, White with red tip, White Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Abdomen:All Black, Front Band / Buff Tail, Front Band / White Tail, Black / White Tail
Head:Black Head, Boxy

FEMALE

March
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy, black

  2. Collar

  3. Front

  4. White, yellow trim

Tail:White Tail, White with yellow trim
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Abdomen:All Black, Front Band / White Tail, Black / White Tail
Head:Black Head, Boxy

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Likes dandelions, dead-nettles and bilberry.

  • Bilberry

  • Brambles

  • Knapweed

  • Scabious

  • Willow

Dandelion

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

🌼

Dead-nettle

Thistle

Thistle

Cirsium