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Red-tailed cuckoo bee

Bombus rupestris

Basic Information

Common name: Red-tailed cuckoo bee
Scientific name: Bombus rupestris

Big, black, long with red tail. Dark wings.

Mostly in central to south England.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusLess Common
Cuckoo StatusCuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourRed Tail

Keynotes

  • Big with long body, thin hair and visible chitin

  • No pollen basket - females have round legs with short hairs

  • Males have pale-yellow bands and fluffy orange/red hairs on legs

Nest Information

  • Uses nests of Red-tailed bumblebees

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

  • 1 cycle per year

  • Numbers unknown

Distribution

  • Widespread in south of England, rarer further north and west but moving northwards

  • Habitat: many flower-rich habitats but avoids high, exposed areas

Castes

MALE

July
MALE diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy, black

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Pale bands

  4. Orange-red

Tail:Red Tail
Thorax:All Black, Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Black / Red Tail, All Black
Head:Black Head, Boxy

FEMALE

April
FEMALE diagram
No Photo

  1. Boxy, black

  2. Black

  3. Black

  4. Orange-red

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

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Likes thistles and dandelions.

  • Iceplant

  • Kidney vetch

  • Knapweed

  • Lavender

  • Oxeye daisies

  • Ragworts

  • Scabious

  • Teasel

  • White clover

🌼

Brambles

Dandelion

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Thistle

Thistle

Cirsium