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White-tailed bumblebee (aggregate)

Bombus lucorum (aggregate)

White-tailed bumblebee (aggregate)

Basic Information

Common name: White-tailed bumblebee (aggregate)
Scientific name: Bombus lucorum (aggregate)

Two pale-yellow bands, fully white tail, fluffy faces.

Found across UK - but they like gardens and meadows!

Classification

Bee TypeBumblebee
StatusCommon
Cuckoo StatusNon-cuckoo
DistributionWidespread
Tail ColourWhite Tail

Keynotes

* Has a dark form which is black, but always has white tail

*Males sometimes multiple pale-yellow abdominal bands

  • A group of 3 different bees: White-tailed, Northern and Cryptic

  • Will nectar rob deep flowers

Nest Information

  • Underground; they like old rodent nests

  • Usually 1 nest cycle per year - sometimes 2 if a warm year

  • Lasts around 6 months

  • Medium: approximately 200 workers

Distribution

  • Widespread across UK

  • Habitat: most habitats but likes flowery gardens and meadows

Castes

QUEEN

February
QUEEN diagram
No Photo

  1. Fluffy, black face

  2. Wide yellow collar*

  3. Yellow mid-band*

  4. White tail

Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Abdomen:Mid Band / White Tail
Head:Black Head

WORKER

March
WORKER diagram
No Photo

  1. Fluffy, black face

  2. Wide yellow collar*

  3. Yellow mid-band*

  4. White tail

Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow Collar
Abdomen:Mid Band / White Tail
Head:Black Head

MALE

May
MALE diagram
No Photo

  1. Fluffy, yellow face*

  2. Collar & rear band*

  3. Yellow mid-band*

  4. White tail

Tail:White Tail
Thorax:Yellow collar and rear band
Abdomen:Mid Band / White Tail
Head:Yellow Head

Flower Preferences

Short tongue. Likes willows, flowering currants and brambles.

  • Buddleia

  • Heather

  • Knapweed

  • Scabiouses

  • Teasel

  • Thistle

  • Umbellifers

  • Viper's bugloss

  • White clover

🌼

Brambles

🌼

Flowering currants

Willow

Willow

Salix