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Other bees

There are over 270 different species of bee in the UK. These can be split into three groups: honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees. The UK has 24 bumblebee species, 1 honeybee species and close to 250 species of solitary bee.

A Hairy-footed flower bee male feeding on a bright orange flower.

Honeybees

What is the difference between bumblebees and honeybees? Watch our short video to discover the five main differences.

Solitary bees

Discover more about some of the UK’s solitary bees.

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An Ashy mining bee resting on a hollow wooden tube.

Ashy mining bee

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A black Hairy-footed flower bee female flying towards the purple flowers of a comfrey plant.

Hairy footed flower bee

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Any Ivy bee outside the entrance to an underground nest.

Ivy bee

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A leaf-cutter bee entering the hollow tubes of a solitary bee hotel.

Patchwork leaf-cutter bee

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A Red mason bee female dusted in pollen and sitting on a yellow flower.

Red mason bee

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A Tawny mining bee resting on small green leaves.

Tawny mining bee

A close-up of a Red-tailed bumblebee queen feeding on a pink flower.

Bumblebee species guide

There are 24 bumblebee species in the UK. To make it easier to tell which bumblebee is which, they can be grouped according to their tail colour. Explore our bumblebee species guide to discover more about each species.

Meet the UK’s bumblebees

For more information about the types of bee that can be found in the UK, take a look at our resource below.

 

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