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Shrill carder bee

Bombus sylvarum

Basic Information

Common name: Shrill carder bee
Scientific name: Bombus sylvarum

Straw-colour, black band, ginger tail.

South of England, south coast of Wales.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusRare
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionLocalised
Tail ColourGinger Tail

Keynotes

  • Straw-coloured bands look 'washed-out'

  • Very rare

  • Late emerging bee

  • High-pitched buzz

  • Likes flower-rich grasslands

Nest Information

  • Ground surface in thick vegetation and tussocky grassland

  • Covers nest with grass and moss

  • Small: up to 70 workers

Distribution

  • Very localised in South England and coastal Wales

  • Habitat: flower-rich sand dunes, heaths, salt-marshes, shingle beaches, chalk downs

Castes

QUEEN

May
QUEEN diagram
No Photo

  1. Straw

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Straw bands

  4. Ginger

Tail:
Thorax:
Abdomen:
Head:

WORKER

June
WORKER diagram
No Photo

  1. Straw

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Straw bands

  4. Ginger

Tail:
Thorax:
Abdomen:
Head:

MALE

August
MALE diagram
No Photo

  1. Straw

  2. Collar, rear

  3. Straw bands

  4. Ginger

Tail:
Thorax:
Abdomen:
Head:

Flower Preferences

Long tongue. Likes dead-nettles.

  • Trefoils

  • Bristly oxtongue

  • Creeping thistle

  • Everlasting peas

  • Knapweed

  • Ragwort

🌼

Black horehound

🌼

Dead-nettle

🌼

Red clover