Basic Information
Common name: Great Yellow bumblebee
Scientific name: Bombus distinguendus
Big, yellow bee with black band.
Found north Scotland, Orkney, Hebrides.
Classification
Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusRare
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionLocalised
Tail ColourYellow Tail
Keynotes
Very rare - only seen in very north of Scotland and some islands
Emerge quite late - from mid-May
All castes have same pattern
Likes wildflower meadows, machair and coastal dunes
Nest Information
Underground; old rodent nests
1 cycle per year
Small: around 50 - 80 workers
Distribution
Only in Caithness, Sutherland, Orkney and Hebrides
Habitat: coastal dunes, flower-rich grasslands, occasionally gardens
Castes
QUEEN
May
No Photo
Yellow
Collar, rear
Yellow
Yellow
Tail:
Thorax:
Abdomen:
Head:
WORKER
June
No Photo
Yellow
Collar, rear
Yellow
Yellow
Tail:
Thorax:
Abdomen:
Head:
MALE
August
No Photo
Yellow
Collar, rear
Yellow
Yellow
Tail:
Thorax:
Abdomen:
Head:
Flower Preferences
Long tongue. Likes clover and vetches.
Cat's-ear
Crane's-bill
Harebell
Phacelia
Scabious
Thistles
Trefoils
Wild carrot
Yellow-rattle
🌼
Kidney vetch
Knapweed
Centaurea
🌼
Red clover