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White-tailed bumblebee

© Derek Moore

White-tailed bumblebee

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Living up to its name, the white-tailed bumblebee is black-and-yellow bee with a bright white 'tail'. A social bumble bee, it can be found nesting in gardens and woods, and on farmland and heaths.

Scientific name

Bombus lucorum

When to see

March to November

Top facts

Category

Stats

Length: up to 2cm
Common.

About

The white-tailed bumblebee is a very common bumble bee that emerges early in the spring and can be seen feeding on flowers right through to the autumn. It can be found in gardens, farmland, woodland edges, hedgerows and heathland: anywhere there are flowers to feed on. As with other social insects, the queen emerges from hibernation in spring and starts the colony by laying a few eggs that hatch as workers; these workers tend the young and nest. Males emerge later and mate with new females who are prospective queens. Both the males and old queen die in the autumn, but the new queens hibernate.

What to look for

The white-tailed bumblebee is black with two lemon-yellow bands on its body and a white 'tail'. There are several very similar species that can be very difficult to tell apart: the buff-tailed bumblebee, for example, has black and dull yellow bands, and a buff-coloured tail, instead of a bright white one.

Where to find

Widespread.

Did you know?

Compared to honey bee colonies, which can number 50,000 individuals, bumble bee colonies are small, with only about 200 workers in each.