Red-tailed Bumblebee - Bombus lapidarius
Habitat: Gardens, parks and other open spaces
Size: Queen 20-22mm males and workers 12-16mm
Species account: A moderately sized species found commonly in gardens and other open spaces. Queens and workers are jet black with a red tail whilst males are amongst the most attractive of all bumblebees, adding a yellow neck and face to the basic pattern.
Similar species: The much rarer Bombus ruderarius shares the black and red pattern of queens and workers, but the hairs of the pollen basket are red (black in B.lapidarius). The cuckoo of B.lapidarius, Bombus rupestris also has a black and red pattern, but as a cuckoo does not have a pollen basket, and also has distinctly darkened wings.
Queen
Male
