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Red-tailed bumblebee

Bombus lapidarius

Basic Information

Common name: Red-tailed bumblebee
Scientific name: Bombus lapidarius

Velvety black bee with red tail. Males have yellow stripes.

Found across UK - less common in northern Scotland.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusCommon
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourRed Tail

Keynotes

*Red tail fades to ginger or even yellow

  • One of first bees to emerge - sometimes seen in February

  • Males are very fluffy and quite yellow

  • New queens can be flying until October

  • Can hibernate communally

Nest Information

  • Underground and enclosed spaces (e.g. under rocks)

  • 1 cycle per year - 2 cycles in the South

  • Lasts 3-4 months

  • February - October

  • Large: up to 300 workers

Distribution

  • Widespread; more common as you go South, scarce in Scotland but moving northwards

  • Habitat: flower-rich rural and urban habitats, gardens, woodland edges, clover-rich lawns and grasslands, brownfield sites

  • Do not like high, exposed sites

Castes

QUEEN

March
QUEEN diagram
No Photo

  1. Black face

  2. Black

  3. Black

  4. Red tail*

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

WORKER

April
WORKER diagram
No Photo

  1. Black face

  2. Black

  3. Black

  4. Red tail*

Tail:Red Tail, Ginger/Yellow tail
Thorax:All Black
Abdomen:All Black, Black / Red Tail
Head:Black Head

MALE

May
MALE diagram
No Photo

  1. Fluffy yellow face

  2. Collar & rear bands

  3. All black

  4. Red-tail*

Tail:Red Tail, Ginger/Yellow tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Black / Red Tail
Head:Yellow Head

Flower Preferences

Medium-tongue. Likes dandelions, clover and lavender.

  • Asters

  • Honeysuckle

  • Knapweed

  • Lavender

  • Melilots

  • Ragwort

  • St-John's wort

  • Teasel

  • Willow

🌼

Dandelions

Gorse

Gorse

Ulex

Thistle

Thistle

Cirsium