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Ruderal bumblebee

Bombus ruderatus

Basic Information

Common name: Ruderal bumblebee
Scientific name: Bombus ruderatus

Big velvety bee, three neat yellow bands.

Mostly in central to south England.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusRare
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionLocalised
Tail ColourWhite Tail

Keynotes

  • Looks like a neat Garden bumblebee but the collar and rear thorax bands are equal in width

  • White tail can sometimes have yellow tinge

  • Has an all black form

  • Also called the 'Large garden bumblebee'

Nest Information

  • Underground; likes old rodent nests

  • Usually 1 cycle per year

  • Medium: around 150 workers

Distribution

  • South of England, Lincolnshire and Midland, occasionally in Wales, not found in Scotland

  • Habitat: farmland, wildflower areas, river valleys, brownfield sites, occasionally woods and urban spaces

Castes

QUEEN

April
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Black face

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Front

  4. White

Tail:Ginger/Yellow tail, White Tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Front Band / White Tail, Front Band / Yellow Tail
Head:Black Head

QUEEN

No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Black

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Front

  4. White

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

WORKER

May
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Black

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Front

  4. White

Tail:Ginger/Yellow tail, White Tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Front Band / White Tail, Front Band / Yellow Tail
Head:Black Head

WORKER

No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Black

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Front

  4. White

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

MALE

No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Black face

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Front

  4. White

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

MALE

June
No Diagram
No Photo

  1. Black

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Front

  4. White

Tail:Ginger/Yellow tail, White Tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Front Band / White Tail, Front Band / Yellow Tail
Head:Black Head

Flower Preferences

Very long tongue. Loves red clover.

  • Bear's britches

  • Borage

  • Knapweeds

  • Teasel

  • Thistles

  • Trefoils

  • Vetches

  • Viper's bugloss

  • Woundwort

🌼

Comfrey

🌼

Red clover

🌼

White dead-nettles