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Garden bumblebee

Bombus hortorum

Basic Information

Common name: Garden bumblebee
Scientific name: Bombus hortorum

Three 'lemon' stripes, white tail, long face and tongue.

Found in most habitats in UK including brownfield sites.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusCommon
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourWhite Tail

Keynotes

*Bands are lemon-yellow

*The collar is wider than rear band

  • Dark form has no yellow bands - but always has white tail

  • Has the longest tongue of any bee in the world

  • Can have second nest cycle in the South of UK

Nest Information

  • Underground (they like old rodent nests), occasionally above ground in leaf litter and covered spaces

  • Usually 1 nest cycle, 2 cycles in the South

  • Lasts 3-4 months

  • Small - medium: up to 150 workers

  • Host to Barbut's cuckoo bumblebee

Distribution

  • Widespread across whole of UK from lowlands to mountainous regions

  • Habitat: common in gardens, brownfield sites and woodland, also found in meadows, scrubland, farmlands, flower-rich grasslands

Castes

QUEEN

March
QUEEN diagram
No Photo

  1. Black face

  2. Collar & rear bands*

  3. Yellow front band

  4. White tail

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

WORKER

April
WORKER diagram
No Photo

  1. Black face

  2. Collar & rear band*

  3. Yellow front band

  4. White tail

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

MALE

June
MALE diagram
No Photo

  1. Black face

  2. Collar & rear band*

  3. Yellow front band

  4. White tail

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

Flower Preferences

Very long tongue. Likes tubular flowers.

  • Bowle's mauve

  • Cherries

  • Comfrey

  • Dead-nettles

  • English lavender

  • Ground ivy

  • Honeysuckle

  • Red clover

  • Thistles

🌼

Bluebells

🌼

Foxgloves

🌼

Vetches