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Red-shanked carder bee

Bombus ruderarius

Basic Information

Common name: Red-shanked carder bee
Scientific name: Bombus ruderarius

Black with red tail. Red leg hair.

Very localised in England, Wales, Hebrides and Channel Islands.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusRare
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionLocalised
Tail ColourRed Tail

Keynotes

  • One of UK's rarest species

  • Resemble Red-tailed bumblebees but have orange leg hair and orange-red tail

  • Males variable but are dull with black faces; Red-tailed bumblebees have yellow faces

  • Emerge quite late but usually gone by August

Nest Information

  • Underground; surface in long grass

  • Covers nest with grass and moss

  • 1 cycle per year

  • Small: around 20 -100 workers

Distribution

  • South and south-east England, south Wales, Hebrides, Channel Islands

  • Habitat: open, flowery grassland, gardens, brownfield sites

Castes

QUEEN

March
QUEEN diagram
No Photo

  1. Black

  2. Black

  3. Black

  4. Orange-red

  5. Red leg hair

Tail:Red Tail
Thorax:All Black
Abdomen:Black / Red Tail
Head:Black Head

WORKER

April
WORKER diagram
No Photo

  1. Black

  2. Black

  3. Black

  4. Orange-red

  5. Red leg hair

Tail:Red Tail
Thorax:All Black
Abdomen:Black / Red Tail
Head:Black Head

MALE

July
MALE diagram
No Photo

  1. Black

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Front

  4. Orange-red

  5. Red leg hair

Tail:Red Tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Multiple yellow bands, Front Band / Red Tail
Head:Black Head

Flower Preferences

Medium-tongue. Likes clover and knapweed.

  • Black angelica

  • Brambles

  • Clover

  • Dead-nettle

  • Kidney vetch

  • Lavender

  • Stork's bills

  • Thistle

  • Trefoil

🌼

Clover

Knapweed

Knapweed

Centaurea

🌼

Viper's bugloss