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Barbut's cuckoo bee
Bombus barbutellus
MALE
Yellow collar
Thinner yellow rear band
Grey-white tail
FEMALE
Yellow collar
Thinner yellow rear band
Grey-white tail
Round hairy legs - no pollen basket
- Short hair and visible chitin
- Males have loner hair than females
Barbut's cuckoo bee
Bombus barbutellus
- Wild flowers
- Garden flowers
Nest
Distribution
- Less common than host bee
- Widespread in south and central England
- Scarce in north England
- Rare in Wales and Scotland
Bilberry bumblebee
Bombus monticola
QUEEN
Yellow face
Yellow collar
Thin yellow rear band
Big red tail
WORKER
Yellow face
Yellow collar
Thin yellow rear band
Big red tail
MALE
Yellow face
Yellow collar
Thin yellow rear band
Big red tail
- Very big red tail covers over half the abdomen
- Males are quite fluffy!
Bilberry bumblebee
Bombus monticola
- Bilberry
- Bird's-foot trefoils
- Clovers
- Heathers
- Raspberries
Nest
Distribution
- Less common
- Localised
- Found in north and west of England and Scotland on high ground
Broken-belted bumblebee
Bombus soroeensis
QUEEN
Bright yellow collar
Bright yellow abdomen band with black notch in middle
White tail with peach trim
WORKER
Bright yellow collar
Bright yellow abdomen band with black notch in middle
White tail often with peach trim
MALE
Black fluffy face
Bright yellow collar
Bright yellow abdomen band with black notch in middle
White tail with peach trim
Seen later in the year
The black notch is black hairs - not the wear and tear sometimes seen in other bees
Workers are small
Looks like a white-tailed bumblebee but has a longer face
White tail often has a peach trim which can be so broad as to resemble a buff tail
Frequently found in Scotland
Broken-belted bumblebee
Bombus soroeensis
- Bird's-foot-trefoils
- Brambles
- Campanula species
- Clover
- Comfrey
- Harebell
- Heather
- Knapweed
- Melilots
- Raspberry
- Rosebay willowherb
- Devil's-bit scabious
- White dead-nettle
Nest
Underground, they like old rodent nests
Usually 1 cycle per year
Last 2-4 months
Around 80 - 150 workers
Distribution
- Localised
- Frequent in Scotland
- Infrequent in England and Wales
Brown-banded carder bee
Bombus humilis
QUEEN
All ginger
Brown abdominal band
WORKER
All ginger
Brown abdominal band
MALE
All ginger
Brown abdominal band
- Blonde hair under wings
- Black hairs at wing base
Brown-banded carder bee
Bombus humilis
- Bird's-foot trefoils
- Red clover
- Vetches
- White dead nettles
Nest
Distribution
- Rare
- Mainly found on the coast of south of England and Wales
Buff-tailed bumblebee
Bombus terrestris
QUEEN
Yellow Collar
Yellow mid-band
Buff Tail
WORKER
Yellow Collar
Yellow mid-band
White Tail
MALE
Yellow Collar
Yellow mid-band
White Tail
- Queens have buff-tail; but workers and males have white tails.
- Queen buff-tails are the UK's biggest bumblebees and emerge in early spring.
Buff-tailed bumblebee
Bombus terrestris
- Bluebells
- Brambles
- Buddleia
- Cotoneaster
- Crocus
- Daffodils
- Devil’s-bit scabious
- Gorse
- Heathers
- Ivy
- Knapweeds
- Lavender
- Michaelmas daisies
- Prunus species
- Teasel
- Thistle
- White clover
- Willow
Nest
Distribution
- Common
- Widespread except the high uplands
- Found in most habitats
Common carder bumblebee
Bombus pascuorum
QUEEN
All ginger
Variable amounts of black abdominal hair
WORKER
All ginger
Variable amounts of black abdominal hair
MALE
All ginger
Variable amounts of black abdominal hair
- Fluffy and ginger - patterns vary.
- Can be quite dark.
- Found in wide range of habitats including gardens, parks, meadows.
Common carder bumblebee
Bombus pascuorum
- Clover
- Figworts
- Foxgloves
- Thistles
- Vetches
- Viper's bugloss
Nest
Distribution
- Common
- Widespread
Early bumblebee
Bombus pratorum
QUEEN
Yellow collar
Yellow front band
Red tail
WORKER
Yellow collar
Yellow front band
Red tail
MALE
Yellow fluffy face
Yellow collar
Yellow front band
Red tail
- The UK's smallest bumblebee.
- Queens sometimes seen in February.
- Males can be quite yellow, have fluffy yellow faces and have red tail.
- Found all over the place, but especially in gardens, parks, woods, brownfield sites.
Early bumblebee
Bombus pratorum
- Blackberries
- Blackcurrants
- Borage
- Bowle's mauve
- Flowering currant
- Geranium
- Lungwort
- Muscari
- Primula
- Pulmonaria
- Raspberries
- Snowdrops
- Wall flower
- White clover
- White dead nettles
Nest
Distribution
- Common.
- Widespread.
- Not found in the Hebrides or Northern Isles.
Garden Bumblebee
Bombus hortorum
QUEEN
Lemon-yellow collar
Lemon-yellow rear band
Lemon-yellow front band
White tail
WORKER
Lemon-yellow collar.
Lemon-yellow rear band.
Lemon-yellow front band.
White tail.
MALE
Lemon-yellow collar
Lemon-yellow rear band
Lemon-yellow front band
White tail
- Queens, workers and males all have the same colour pattern.
- Has a dark form with no yellow bands - but always has white tail.
- Has the longest tongue of any bee in the world.
Garden Bumblebee
Bombus hortorum
- Bird's-foot trefoils
- Bluebells
- Borage
- Bowle's mauve wallflower
- Comfrey
- English lavender
- Foxgloves
- Knapweed
- Red clover
- Vetches
Nest
Distribution
- Common.
- Widespread across UK.
Great yellow bumblebee
Bombus distinguendus
QUEEN
Yellow collar
Yellow rear band
All yellow abdomen
WORKER
Yellow collar
Yellow rear band
All yellow abdomen
MALE
Yellow collar
Yellow rear band
All yellow abdomen
Very rare
Great yellow bumblebee
Bombus distinguendus
- Bird's-foot trefoils
- Black knapweed
- Red clover
- Vetches
Nest
Underground; like old rodent nests
One cycle per year
Lasts 4 - 5 months
Around 50 - 80 workers
Distribution
- Very rare
- Only found in Caithness, Sutherland, Orkney and Hebrides
- Flower-rich grasslands
Gypsy cuckoo bee
Bombus bohemicus
MALE
Broad yellow collar
Narrow yellow rear band
White tail with yellow side trim
FEMALE
Broad yellow collar
Narrow yellow rear band
White tail with yellow side trim
- Thin hair that is longer than other cuckoos
- Females larger than males
- Not usually seen after September
Gypsy cuckoo bee
Bombus bohemicus
- Brambles
- Knapweed
- Teasel
- Thistles
- Umbellifers
Nest
Distribution
- Less common
- Widespread
- Found in healthland
- Declining in South and East England
Heath Bumblebee
Bombus jonellus
QUEEN
Black fluffy face
Yellow collar
Yellow rear band
Yellow front band
White tail (buff in Shetland and Western Isles)
WORKER
Black fluffy face
Yellow collar
Yellow rear band
Yellow front band
White tail (buff in Shetland and Western Isles)
MALE
Yellow fluffy face
Yellow collar
Yellow rear band
Yellow front band
White tail (buff in Shetland and Western Isles)
- Quite long haired, fluffy thing
- Looks like a small, fluffy Garden bumblebee
- Males have fluffy, yellow face hair
- Often have dark buff tail in the Shetlands and Western Isles
- Often have dark forms, especially queens
Heath Bumblebee
Bombus jonellus
- Bramble
- Clovers
- Heathers
- Knapweed
- Ragwort
- Sallows
- Scabiouses
- Thistle
- Thyme
Nest
Distribution
- More common in Scotland and along the south coast of England; less common elsewhere
- Tends to be localised to highlands of Scotland and South coast of England
- Like uplands and heathland habitats
Moss carder bee
Bombus muscorum
QUEEN
Ginger fluffy face
All ginger
WORKER
Ginger fluffy face
All ginger
MALE
Ginger fluffy face
All ginger
- No black hairs at all
- Occasionally has a brown band
Moss carder bee
Bombus muscorum
- Bird's-foot trefoil
- Knapweed
- Red clover
- Thistles
- Vetches
- White dead nettle
Nest
Distribution
- Rare
- More common in the north and in Scotland
Red-shanked carder bumblebee
Bombus ruderarius
QUEEN
All black
Orange-red tail
WORKER
All black
Orange-red tail
MALE
Narrow yellow collar
Narrow yellow rear band
Orange-red tail
- Red tail is orange-red rather than the brighter red of the red-tailed and bilberry bumblebees
Red-shanked carder bumblebee
Bombus ruderarius
- Bird's-foot trefoil
- Clover
- Ground ivy
- Knapweed
- White dead nettle
Nest
Distribution
- Rare
- Localised
- Isolated to locations in the south of England, south Wales and the Inner Hebrides
Red-tailed bumblebee
Bombus lapidarius
QUEEN
All black
Red tail
WORKER
All black
Red tail
MALE
Collar and rear band
Red-tail
- Black, fluffy bee.
- One of first bees to emerge in Spring.
- The red tail can fade to ginger over time.
Red-tailed bumblebee
Bombus lapidarius
- Dandelions
- Honeysuckle
- Lavender
Nest
Distribution
- Common.
- Widespread.
- Becoming scarcer in northern Scotland.
Red-tailed cuckoo bee
Bombus rupestris
MALE
Very faint dark yellow collar
Very faint dark yellow rear band
Very faint dark abdominal bands
Orange-red tail
FEMALE
All black
Orange-red tail
Dark wings
Round, hairy legs - no pollen basket
- Big bee with long body and dark wings.
- Thin hair and visible chitin.
- Females have round legs with short hairs.
- Males have pale-yellow bands and fluffy orange/red hairs on legs.
Red-tailed cuckoo bee
Bombus rupestris
- Brambles
- Dandelions
- Oxeye daisies
- Thistles
Nest
Distribution
- Widespread in south of England.
- Rarer further north and west.
- Moving northwards.
Ruderal Bumblebee
Bombus ruderatus
QUEEN
Yellow collar
Yellow rear band
Yellow front band
White tail
QUEEN
All black
WORKER
All black
- Very variable in appearance
- Neat 'short' hair
- Thorax bands (when present) are equal in width
- White tail sometimes goes up the sides of the abdomen and can have a yellow hue
- Looks like a neat version of a Garden bumblebee
- Is also called the 'Large garden bumblebee'
- Intermediate form has thin yellow bands
- Dark form is all black
Ruderal Bumblebee
Bombus ruderatus
- Bear's britches
- Bird's-foot-trefoils
- Borage
- Comfrey
- Everlasting peas
- Foxgloves
- Knapweeds
- Red clover
- Teasel
- Thistles
- Toadflax
- Vetches
- Viper's bugloss
- White dead-nettle
- Woundwort
- Yellow iris
Nest
Distribution
- Rare and localised to south of England, Lincolnshire and Midlands
- Occasionally seen in Wales
- Not currently found in Scotland
- Likes open wild flower meadows and margins, river valleys and brownfield habitats
- Occasionally seen in woodland and urban spaces
Short-haired bumblebee
Bombus subterraneus
QUEEN
Yellow collar
Yellow rear band
Pale abdomen bands
White tail sometimes with faint yellow trim
WORKER
Yellow collar
Yellow rear band
Pale abdomen bands
White tail sometimes with faint yellow trim
MALE
Yellow collar
Yellow rear band
Yellow mid band
Big, buff tail
- Reintroduction to the south of England in 2010's seems not successful
- Long face is rounder than Garden and Ruderal bumblebees
- Often has two abdomen bands but this can be difficult to see
- Dark form has a buff tail
Short-haired bumblebee
Bombus subterraneus
- Bird's-foot trefoil
- Bramble
- Comfrey
- Honeysuckle
- Red clover
- Teasel
- Vetches
- Viper's bugloss
- White dead-nettles
Nest
Distribution
- Thought to be extinct in the UK
- Used to be a species of south-east England
- Occasionally seen further north and in Wales
- Found on wetlands and flowery, open meadows and grasslands
Shrill carder bee
Bombus sylvarum
QUEEN
Pale straw-coloured fluffy face
Pale, straw-coloured collar
Pale straw-coloured rear band
Two or three straw-coloured abdominal bands
Ginger tail
WORKER
Pale straw-coloured fluffy face
Pale, straw-coloured collar
Pale straw-coloured rear band
Two or three straw-coloured abdominal bands
Ginger tail
MALE
Pale straw-coloured fluffy face
Pale, straw-coloured collar
Pale straw-coloured rear band
Two or three straw-coloured abdominal bands
Ginger tail
- Very rare
- Late emerging bee
Shrill carder bee
Bombus sylvarum
- Bird's-foot trefoils
- Black horehound
- Hedge woundwort
- Red clover
- White dead nettles
Nest
Distribution
- Very rare
- Localised
- Only found in South England and parts of Wales
- Sand dunes, healthlands, slat-marshes, shingle beaches, chalk downs, brownfield sites
Southern cuckoo bee
Bombus vestalis
MALE
Dark yellow collar
Faint yellow rear band
White tail with yellow side trim
FEMALE
Dark yellow collar
White tail with yellow side trim
Round hairy legs - no pollen baskets
- Similar to Barbut's cuckoo bee but Southern cuckoo has yellow side trim to the white tail
Southern cuckoo bee
Bombus vestalis
- Blackberry
- Blackthorn
- Cherry
- Dandelion
- Garden flowers
- Knapweed
- Lavender
- Wallflowers
- White clover
- Wildflower meadows
Nest
Distribution
- Less common than host bee
- Quite common especially in south of England
Tree Bumblebee
Bombus hypnorum
QUEEN
Ginger thorax
Black abdomen
White tail
WORKER
Ginger thorax
Black abdomen
White tail
MALE
Ginger thorax
Black abdomen
White tail
- Can look quite dark.
- Has a black form but always has a white tail.
- Likes to nest high up in trees, bird boxes and house eaves.
- Groups of males fly around the entrance to the nest.
Tree Bumblebee
Bombus hypnorum
- Brambles
- Ceanothus
- Comfrey
- Cotoneaster
- Open roses
- Prunus
- Pyracantha
- Raspberries
- Sallow
- Teasel
- Thistle
- White dead-nettle
Nest
Distribution
- Common.
- Widespread.
- Likes gardens, urban areas and woodlands.
White-tailed Bumblebee (aggregate)
Bombus lucorum (aggregate)
QUEEN
<p>Fluffy, black face Yellow collar Yellow mid-band White tail <
p>
WORKER
Fluffy, black face
Yellow collar
Yellow mid-band
White tail
MALE
Fluffy yellow face
Yellow collar
Yellow mid-band
White tail
Actually 3 different bees: White-tailed, Northern, Cryptic.
Will nectar rob deep flowers.
Males have fluffy yellow faces; and sometimes multiple pale-yellow abdominal bands.
White-tailed Bumblebee (aggregate)
Bombus lucorum (aggregate)
- Brambles
- Buddleia
- Heather
- Knapweed
- Prunus
- Ragwort
- Teasel
- Thistles
- Viper's bugloss
- White clover
Nest
Underground; they like old rodent nests.
Usually 1 nest cycle per year - sometimes 2 if a warm year.
Lasts around 6 months.
Approximately 200 workers.
Distribution
- Common.
- Widespread across UK.
- Found in most habitats.