Barbut’s cuckoo bumblebee
(Bombus barbutellus)
Status
This is a less common but still widespread bumblebee, found mostly in central and southern England.
Where to find
They are found in most habitats (gardens, parks, and the wider countryside) where their host species, the Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) and the Ruderal bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus) are present.
UK distribution map
Barbut’s cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus barbutellus)
Map shows in dark green, the current known distribution for this species.
References
More detailed information on sources can be found here.
Credit: Nick Owens
Active period
Forest cuckoo females emerge from hibernation in April and May.
It is a cuckoo bumblebee so doesn’t have a worker caste, and new females and males can be seen up to the end of September.
Description
Females and males have two thick yellow bands on the thorax and a yellow band at the front of the abdomen. The abdominal band can vary in hue, strength, and extent. The tail is greyish white, with no yellow hairs.
As with all cuckoo bumblebees, it also has darker wing membranes, hairy hind legs in both sexes (no pollen baskets), and sparser hair which allows the shiny exoskeleton to show through.
This species has a short tongue and it often feeds on flowers such as dandelions and brambles.
Similar species and differences
Southern cuckoo (Bombus vestalis) and Gypsy cuckoo (Bombus bohemicus) bumblebees can appear similar but both usually have yellow patches at the front of the tail which are absent in Barbut’s cuckoo.
The Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) and the Ruderal bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus) have the same three yellow bands and white tail pattern but have much longer faces and a much denser covering of hair.
