Back to Bees

Southern cuckoo bee

Bombus vestalis

Basic Information

Common name: Southern cuckoo bee
Scientific name: Bombus vestalis

One clear yellow band, yellow trim to white tail.

Seen in England and coastal Wales - scarce elsewhere.

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusLess Common
Cuckoo StatusCuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourWhite Tail

Keynotes

*Collar is dark ginger-yellow

  • Resembles Gypsy cuckoo bee but is neater, has gingery collar when new, and rear band is faint

  • Males often have faint front-band on abdomen

  • No pollen baskets

  • Wings are darker than social bumblebees

Nest Information

  • Uses nests of Buff-tailed bumblebees as hosts

  • I nest cycle per year

  • Females seen from March, males from May

  • Last until September

  • Numbers unknown

Distribution

  • Less common than host bee

  • Common in south of England, rare in Scotland and Ireland

  • Habitat: likes open habitats, gardens, wild flower meadows, hedgerows, woodlands, heaths, and coastlines

  • Common cuckoo bumblebee in urban green spaces

Castes

MALE

May
MALE diagram
No Photo

  1. Black face

  2. Collar & faint rear band*

  3. Faint front band

  4. White tail, yellow sides

Tail:White Tail, White with yellow trim
Thorax:Yellow Collar, Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Front Band / White Tail, Black / White Tail
Head:Black Head, Boxy

FEMALE

March
FEMALE diagram
No Photo

  1. Black face

  2. Collar & faint rear band*

  3. Black

  4. White tail, yellow sides

Tail:White Tail, White with yellow trim
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Abdomen:Black / White Tail
Head:Black Head, Boxy

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Likes lavenders and chives.

  • Blackthorn

  • Burdocks

  • Cherry

  • Clover

  • Ground ivy

  • Hebes

  • Thistles

  • Vetches

  • Wallflowers

🌼

Chives

Dandelion

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Lavender

Lavender

Lavandula