Basic Information
Common name: Red-tailed bumblebee
Scientific name: Bombus lapidarius
Velvety black bee with red tail.
Classification
Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusCommon
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourRed Tail
Keynotes
• Black, fluffy bee.
• One of first bees to emerge in Spring.
• The red tail can fade to ginger over time.
Nest Information
• Underground and enclosed spaces.
• Usually 1 cycle per year - 2 per year in the South.
• Lasts 3-4 months.
• Up to 300 workers.
Distribution
- Common.
- Widespread.
- Becoming scarcer in northern Scotland.
Castes
QUEEN
March
No Photo
All black
Red tail
Tail:Red Tail
Thorax:All Black
Head:Black Head
WORKER
April
No Photo
All black
Red tail
Tail:Red Tail
Thorax:All Black
Head:Black Head
MALE
May
No Photo
Collar and rear band
Red-tail
Tail:Red Tail
Thorax:All Black
Head:Yellow Head
Flower Preferences
Likes gardens, grasslands and woodland edges.
- Dandelions
- Honeysuckle
- Lavender