Red-shanked Carder Bee
Bombus ruderarius
The range of this species has reduced substantially in recent years. Although similar in appearance to the more common Red-tailed Bumblebee, it has a much more rounded shape.
Appearance
Queens, workers and males are black, with an orange tail which is paler than that of the Red-tailed Bumblebee.
Queens and workers have distinctive orange hairs either side of the pollen baskets on their hind legs.
Males usually have a weak grey/yellow collar and a faint grey band across the abdomen.
About the bee
– black body
– red tail
– red/orange leg hairs
Size
– Queen: 13mm
– Worker: 11mm
– Male: 10mm
Tongue length
Long
Nest
Usually on the surface in thick vegetation, but occasionally below ground.
Colony size
Small to medium (rarely exceeding 100 workers).
Map and flight periods
Similar species
The Red-tailed Bumblebee has shorter, smoother hair, a more elongated body shape and darker orange tail. Workers and queens have black hairs alongside their pollen baskets rather than red. Males have a yellow collar and facial hair.
Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee females are much larger with a black, shiny body visible beneath sparse hair. They have exceptionally dark, smoky wings and lack pollen baskets. Males look very much like those of the Red-shanked Carder Bee, often with similar greyish banding, but can be differentiated by their larger, box-shaped heads.