Filter bee species by tail or body colour:
Common bumblebees
No species match
Buff-tailed bumblebee
The Buff-tailed Bumblebee is one of the most common UK bumblebees, and the large queens are often the first to ...More info
White-tailed Bumblebee
Widespread throughout the majority of the UK. This species often goes through two generations in a season, but is not ...More info
Garden Bumblebee
Common throughout the UK, found in gardens but also other habitats. Distinguishable from other common black and yellow banded species ...More info
Red-tailed Bumblebee
Common throughout the UK, apart from the far north. Has a distinctive velvety black body and dark orange, almost crimson ...More info
Early Bumblebee
A small bumblebee of fluffy appearance, found throughout much of the UK, although absent from the Western and Northern Isles ...More info
Common Carder Bee
The only common UK bumblebee that is mostly brown/ginger, but lacks a white tail. Widely distributed and the most common ...More info
Tree Bumblebee
A relatively recent arrival to the UK from mainland Europe. First recorded in Wiltshire in 2001, the Tree Bumblebee is ...More info
Heath Bumblebee
Widespread across most of the UK, although fairly scarce in eastern England. Superficially similar to the Garden Bumblebee, but prefers ...More info
Cuckoo bumblebees
No species match
Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee
A large bumblebee with very dark wings, a strong build and boxy head. Relatively widespread in England, but less common ...More info
Southern Cuckoo Bee
One of the most common and widespread cuckoo bees, particularly in the south of England.More info
Field Cuckoo Bee
Declining, but still fairly common in most of England and Wales. Much scarcer in Scotland and Ireland.More info
Forest Cuckoo Bee
Common throughout much of the UK, although scarce in Ireland. Strongly associated with woodland, but can be found in other ...More info
Gypsy Cuckoo Bee
Present in pockets throughout England and Wales, but declining in these areas. More abundant in the north of Scotland and ...More info
Barbut’s Cuckoo Bee
Fairly widespread in southern and central England, but thought to be declining significantly in some areas. More scarce in Wales, ...More info
Scarce bumblebees
No species match
Bilberry Bumblebee
A distinctive bee with an abdomen that is almost completely bright orange. Found predominantly in heath and moorland habitats, normally ...More info
Broken-belted Bumblebee
Found in few places other than Northern Scotland, Salisbury Plain and South Wales. Resembles the White-tailed Bumblebee, though emerges much ...More info
Brown-banded Carder Bee
Once present throughout much of England and Wales, the Brown-banded Carder Bee has retreated southwards to localities such as the ...More info
Moss Carder Bee
Once widespread throughout the UK, this species underwent significant decline in the twentieth century and is now mostly found in ...More info
Shrill Carder Bee
Once present in many parts of England, Wales and Southern Scotland, the Shrill Carder Bee suffered drastic declines during the ...More info
Red-shanked Carder Bee
The range of this species has reduced substantially in recent years. Although similar in appearance to the more common Red-tailed ...More info
Ruderal Bumblebee
A large bee, similar to the Garden Bumblebee, but appears later in the year and is less likely to be ...More info
Great Yellow Bumblebee
Once present in much of the UK, this is one of our most declined bumblebees. Now confined to the far ...More info
Northern White-tailed Bumblebee
The Northern White-tailed Bumblebee is very similar to the White-tailed Bumblebee, but appears to primarily inhabit upland areas. There are ...More info
Cryptic Bumblebee
Although first scientifically described in 1775, the Cryptic Bumblebee was only recently confirmed as a distinct species following DNA studies. ...More info
Short-haired Bumblebee
Last seen in 1988 and declared extinct in the UK in 2000, but subject to a reintroduction project in Kent. ...More info