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Gypsy cuckoo bee

Bombus bohemicus

Basic Information

Common name: Gypsy cuckoo bee
Scientific name: Bombus bohemicus

Thick collar, visible chitin, white tail with yellow trim.

Mainly in north and west of UK in upland heaths and moors.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusLess Common
Cuckoo StatusCuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourWhite Tail

Keynotes

*Wide collar but narrow rear band

  • Boxy head, dark wings, visible chitin

  • White tail has yellow trim on the sides

  • Looks like a Southern cuckoo but is shaggier with central 'V' in tail

  • Males have yellow abdomen band and are smaller than females

Nest Information

  • Uses nests of White-tailed bumblebees (agg.) as hosts

  • 1 nest cycle per year

  • Usually gone by September

  • Numbers unknown

Distribution

  • Less common but widespread across north and west of UK

  • Declining in South and East England

  • Habitat: heathland, moorland and uplands

Castes

MALE

June
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy head

  2. Collar & rear bands*

  3. Yellow front band

  4. White tail, yellow trim

Tail:White with yellow trim, White Tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Front Band / White Tail
Head:Black Head, Boxy

FEMALE

April
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy head

  2. Collar & rear bands*

  3. Black

  4. White tail, yellow trim

Tail:White with yellow trim, White Tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band, Yellow Collar
Abdomen:Black / White Tail
Head:Black Head, Boxy

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Favours thistles and brambles.

  • Bilberry

  • Bugle

  • Dandelion

  • Devi's-bit scabious

  • Heathers

  • Knapweed

  • Raspberry

  • Teasel

  • Umbellifers

🌼

Brambles

Dandelion

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Thistle

Thistle

Cirsium