Red-tailed bumblebees
British bumblebees can be divided into three approximate groups based on the tail colour of the queens, and their rarity status.
In this section you will find species with red tails. Within the section the ‘true’ bumblebee species are ordered according to their approximate commonality nationwide, commonest first, followed by the cuckoo bumblebees.
- Red-tailed bumblebee
- Early bumblebee
- Bilberry bumblebee
- Red-shanked carder bee
- Shrill carder bee
- Red-tailed cuckoo bumblebee
Also be aware of:
Forest cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus sylvestris) males have a two-coloured tail, white with a red tip.
Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) queens have yellow-buff tails which can verge on orange.