Saturday 29 September 2007

Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

OTHER NAMES: Large Earth Bumblebee
Latin Etymology: Bombus ("buzz") terrestris ("of the earth")
Adult Buff-tailed Bumblebee (subspecies B. t. audax) at Geddington Chase, Northants - June 2011

Featured Subspecies: Bombus terrestris audax
Length: 20-22mm  /  Wingspan: 22-34mm
NOT EVALUATED IN UK IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

The Buff-tailed Bumble-bee is one of the most common species of Bee in the UK - and thus probably one of the most widely seen insects.  It can be identified from similar insects by the exact combination of colour rings, taking particular note in this case of the yellow that fringes the white tip of the tail.  In my garden this species seems to mostly prefer lavender and buddleiah

Related Species:
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Bombus
Subspecies: B. t. africanus, B. t. audax, B. t. calabricus, B. t. canariensis, B. t. dalmatinus, B. t. lusitanicus, B. t. sassaricus, B. t. terrestrisB. t. xanthopus

- Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM A common resident species which is seen in Summer
 - Seen in Geddington and numerous other locations

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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