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BumblebeeID - find British species by colour pattern

6 widespread species

Six species are widespread among regions of Britain. They tend to be nearly ubiquitous among sites within these regions and are often abundant at each site. Most bees encountered will belong to this group. Most of these species will occur together at most flower-rich sites on the English mainland.

Other species are:
(1) restricted to few localities in the south
(2) restricted to few localities in the northwest
(3) extremely rare or extinct within Britain
(4) cuckoos in the nests of other bumblebees.

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B. pascuorum restart key

queen/worker
(northern form)

queen/worker
(northern form)

queen/worker
(southern form)

queen/worker
(southern form)

queen/worker
(southern form)


male
(northern form)


male
(northern form)

male
(southern form)

male
(southern form)

male
(southern form)

The colour pattern of this species is particularly variable. Black hairs are fewest on individuals from northern Scotland, and more abundant on those from southern Scotland, England and Wales.

 

Distinguishing similar species:
Unlike B. humilis and B. muscorum, B. pascuorum have (1) shaggy hair, (2) usually have at least a few black hairs on the sides of abdominal segment 3 after the waist (sometimes black hairs are completely absent), and (3) in fresh specimens the hair on abdominal segment 1 is lighter than the pale hair on segment 3; and males can be distinguished by their genitalia.



'Common Carder-bee'
(Sladen, 1912; Step, 1932)
'Common carder bee'
(Benton, 2000, BBCT)
taxonomy and nomenclature
A very common medium-sized species, with a long tongue, emerging in early spring, and nesting on the surface of the ground. This species can be seen at flowers particularly late in the year, often into November in southern Britain. In its nest structure, Sladen (1912) describes it as a 'pocket-making' 'carder bee'. Colonies are small and relatively mild tempered when disturbed.
Habitat Gardens, farmland, woodland glades and edges, grassland, heathland, uplands, less common on marshes and bogs.

British distribution

Throughout Britain, except on the Scilly Isles, Outer Scottish Isles, and Shetland. Recently, it has become established on the Orkneys (Plowright et al., 1997). Data from Alford (1980) are mapped on a 10 km grid (left) to show local patchiness and on a 50 km grid (right) to show the regional pattern (dark blue - all post 1960):

Worldwide distribution
Europe and northern Asia to the Pacific. World distribution mapped on an equal-area grid (dark blue spots for specimens identified by PHW, light blue spots for literature records, white spots for expected distribution):

B. lapidarius restart key


queen/worker
(rare pale form)


queen/worker


male


male

male

male

Queens and workers with a pale band at the front of the thorax are rare and may occur particularly after inclement weather (Sladen, 1912).

 

Distinguishing similar species:
Unlike B. ruderarius, B. lapidarius queens and workers (1) have the long hairs of the pollen baskets (corbiculae) on the hind legs entirely black, and (2) have the mid basitarsi with the posterior angle rounded without a spine; and males (1) have the face bright yellow and (2) the antennae are short (see Prys-Jones & Corbet, 1987, 1991).
Unlike B. cullumanus, B. lapidarius queens and workers have the hind basitarsi with many orange short feathered hairs on their outer surface (see Prys-Jones & Corbet, 1987, 1991); and males (1) usually have a bright lemon-yellow face and bands, and (2) can be distinguished by their genitalia.
Unlike B. pomorum and the dark form of B. sylvarum, B. lapidarius queens and workers have the mid basitarsi with the posterior angle rounded without a spine (see Prys-Jones & Corbet, 1987, 1991); and males (1) have short antennae, and (2) can be distinguished by their genitalia.



'Stone Humble-bee'
(Sladen, 1912)
'Large Red-tailed Humble-bee'
(Step, 1932)
'Red-tailed bumblebee'
(Benton, 2000, BBCT)
taxonomy and nomenclature

A very common species in the south, with large queens, a short tongue, emerging in early spring, and usually nesting below the surface of the ground (though sometimes on the surface under objects, or above the surface in cavities). This species has a relatively short period of male activity when males may be very abundant. In its nest structure, Sladen (1912) describes it as a 'pollen-storer' species. Colonies are often large.

Habitat Gardens, farmland, woodland glades and edges, grassland, heathland, less common in uplands, on marshes and bogs.

British distribution

Throughout Britain, except in parts of northern Scotland, on the Outer Scottish Isles, Orkneys, and Shetland. Recently it has been spreading in northern Scotland (Macdonald, 2001). Data from Alford (1980) are mapped on a 10 km grid (left) to show local patchiness and on a 50 km grid (right) to show changes in the regional pattern (dark blue - post 1960; light blue - pre 1960 only):

Worldwide distribution Europe and north Africa, east to the Urals and possibly the Ob. World distribution mapped on an equal-area grid (dark blue - specimens identified by PHW; light blue - literature records; white - expected distribution):

B. pratorum restart key

queen (/worker)

queen/worker

(queen/) worker


male


male

male

Distinguishing similar species:
Unlike orange-tailed B. jonellus, B. pratorum queens and workers lack a pale band at the rear of the thorax; and the males can be distinguished by their genitalia.



'Early-nesting Humble-bee'
(Sladen, 1912)
'Early Humble-bee'
(Step, 1932)
'Early-nesting bumblebee'
(Benton, 2000)
'Early bumblebee'
(BBCT)
taxonomy and nomenclature

A common small species, with a short tongue, emerging in early spring, and nesting below the surface of the ground, though sometimes on the surface under objects, or above the surface in cavities. This species nests particularly early in the year. It is less often seen in late summer and these records may often be for bees reared in secondary nests by queens produced earlier in the same year. In its nest structure, Sladen (1912) describes it as a 'pollen-storer' species. Colonies are small and relatively mild tempered when disturbed.

Habitat Gardens, farmland, woodland glades and edges, less common in grassland, heathland, uplands, on marshes and bogs.

British distribution

Throughout Britain, except on the Scilly Isles, Outer Scottish Isles, Orkneys, and Shetland. Benton (2000) suggests that this species is becoming increasingly urban because it is intolerant of agricultural intensification. In Kent it remains widespread in farmland. Data from Alford (1980) are mapped on a 10 km grid (left) to show local patchiness and on a 50 km grid (right) to show the regional pattern (dark blue - all post 1960):

Worldwide distribution Europe east to Yakutsk. World distribution mapped on an equal-area grid (dark blue - specimens identified by PHW; light blue - literature records; white - expected distribution):

B. terrestris restart key

queen/worker
(rare introduced form)

worker
(common form)

queen/worker
(common form)

queen
(common form)

queen
(dark form)


male
(rare introduced form)


male
(common form)

The paler form from eastern continental Europe is being imported for the pollination of glasshouse crops. It may occasionally be found outside of glasshouses.

 

Distinguishing similar species:
Unlike B. lucorum, B. terrestris have (1) at least some brownish hairs at the front of the white tail, (2) usually have more golden bands, and (3) differ in the patterns of small punctures on the top of the head (see Løken, 1973).
Unlike B. soroeensis, B. terrestris queens and workers have (1) the first segment of the abdomen after the waist black, (2) the second segment is yellow in the middle, (3) the hind basitarsus has a strongly arched hind margin; and for males (1) the antennae are short, (2) the base of the hind basitarsus broadens with a distinct shoulder (see Prys-Jones & Corbet, 1987, 1991), and (3) can be distinguished by their genitalia.



'Large Earth Humble-bee'
(Sladen, 1912)
'Buff-tailed Humble-bee'
(Step, 1932)
'Buff-tailed bumblebee'
(Benton, 2000, BBCT)
taxonomy and nomenclature

A very common species in the south, with particularly large queens, a short tongue, emerging in early spring, and usually nesting below the surface of the ground (though sometimes on the surface under objects, or above the surface in cavities). In southern Britain this species has been found flying in every month of some recent years, with queens, workers and even males seen in January and February. In its nest structure, Sladen (1912) describes it as a 'pollen-storer' species. Colonies are often large and can be aggressive when disturbed.

Habitat Gardens, farmland, woodland glades and edges, grassland, heathland, less common on uplands, marshes and bogs.

British distribution

Throughout Britain, except in northern Scotland, on the Outer Scottish Isles, Orkneys, and Shetland, although it has been spreading in northern Scotland (Macdonald, 2001). Data from Alford (1980) are mapped on a 10 km grid (left) to show local patchiness and on a 50 km grid (right) to show changes in the regional pattern (dark blue - post 1960; light blue - pre 1960 only):

Worldwide distribution Indigenous distribution in central and southern Europe, north Africa, Madeira and the Canary Isles, east to Mongolia (this species has been introduced to particularly many additional areas). World distribution mapped on an equal-area grid (dark blue - specimens identified by PHW; light blue - literature records; white - expected distribution):

B. lucorum complex restart key

queen/worker
(N+W upland form)

queen/worker
(common form)


male
(common form)


male
(common form)

male
(common form)

male
(N+W upland form)

Populations from the uplands of the north and west of Britain have long been known to have some larger females, with broader paler bands. These bees, known as B. magnus, are often difficult to separate consistently. Another form, often with a narrow black S-shaped cross band at the side of the yellow thoracic collar of the females (just anterior to the wing bases), has been described under the name B. cryptarum. Until recently, this was not known to occur in Britain, although there are now records from Scotland (Bertsch et al., 2004, 2005) and Ireland. Workers, males, and even queens of these bees can at present be distinguished reliably only from their DNA sequences.

 

Distinguishing similar species:
Unlike B. terrestris, B. lucorum have (1) no brownish hairs at the front of the white tail, (2) usually have more lemon-yellow bands, and (3) differ in the patterns of small punctures on the top of the head (see Løken, 1973).
Unlike B. soroeensis, B. lucorum queens and workers have (1) the first segment of the abdomen black, (2) the second segment is yellow in the middle, (3) the hind basitarsus has a strongly arched hind margin; and for males (1) the antennae are short, (2) the base of the hind basitarsus broadens with a distinct shoulder (see Prys-Jones & Corbet, 1987, 1991), and (3) can be distinguished by their genitalia.



'Small Earth Humble-bee'
(Sladen, 1912; Step, 1932)
'White-tailed bumblebee'
(Benton, 2000, BBCT)
taxonomy and nomenclature

A common species especially in the north, with medium body size (larger in the northwestern pale form), a short tongue, emerging in early spring, and usually nesting below the surface of the ground (though sometimes on the surface under objects, or above the surface in cavities). This species has recently been reported as flying in February in the south (Benton, 2000). In its nest structure, Sladen (1912) describes it as a 'pollen-storer' species. Colonies of this species in the south are usually smaller than those of B. terrestris.

Habitat Gardens, farmland, woodland glades and edges, grassland, heathland, uplands, marshes, bogs.

British distribution

Throughout Britain. Data from Alford (1980) are mapped on a 10 km grid (left) to show local patchiness and on a 50 km grid (right) to show the regional pattern (dark blue - all post 1960):

Worldwide distribution Indigenous distribution in Europe, Asia including the Himalaya, Alaska, and Canada east almost to Hudson Bay. World distribution mapped on an equal-area grid (dark blue - specimens identified by PHW; light blue - literature records; white - expected distribution):

B. hortorum restart key

queen/worker

(common form)

queen/worker
(common form)

queen/worker
(rare dark form)


male
(common form)


male
(common form)

male
(rare dark form)

The yellow bands are often narrowed (especially at the rear of the thorax), but entirely black individuals are rare. Despite some recent claims, B. hortorum has long been and still is regarded as a species separate from B. ruderatus by specialists in bumblebee taxonomy (references in Williams & Hernandez, 2000 [pdf]).

 

Distinguishing similar species:
Unlike B. ruderatus, B. hortorum (1) have the anterior edge of the white hairs of the tail forming a straight line across the abdomen, not extending further forwards at the sides of the abdomen than in the middle, (2) always have at least some yellow hairs at the front centre of abdominal segment 2, and (3) usually have the pale band at the rear of the thorax much narrower in the middle than the yellow collar at the front of the thorax (Williams & Hernandez, 2000 [pdf]).
Unlike B. jonellus, B. hortorum (1) have the head much longer than broad, (2) queens and workers have a spine on the mid basitarsus (see Prys-Jones & Corbet, 1987, 1991), and (3) males can be distinguished by their genitalia.



'Small Garden Humble-bee'
(Sladen, 1912; Step, 1932)
'Garden bumblebee'
(Benton, 2000, BBCT)
taxonomy and nomenclature

A common medium-sized species, with a long tongue, emerging in late spring, and nesting below the surface of the ground, though sometimes on the surface under objects, above the surface in cavities, or on the surface. It is less often seen in late summer and these records may sometimes be for bees reared in secondary nests by queens produced earlier in the same year. In its nest structure, Sladen (1912) describes it as a 'pocket-making' 'pollen-primer' species. Colonies of this species are small.

Habitat
Gardens, farmland, woodland glades and edges, grassland, heathland, less common in uplands, on marshes and bogs. This is one of the more common species within woodlands in midsummer.

British distribution

Throughout Britain. Data from Alford (1980) are mapped on a 10 km grid (left) to show local patchiness and on a 50 km grid (right) to show the regional pattern (dark blue - all post 1960):

Worldwide distribution Indigenous distribution in Europe and northern Asia to the Pacific. World distribution mapped on an equal-area grid (dark blue - specimens identified by PHW; light blue - literature records; white - expected distribution):

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