Bumblebees
Can be seen from March to November!
Bombus lucorum is a large bumblebee, the queen having a length of 18–22 mm
and a wingspan of around 36 mm. The workers are normally somewhat smaller.
The species has a short proboscis (tongue). The predominating colour is black,
with
a
pale
yellow
collar,
another
yellow
band
on
the
second tergite (abdominal segment), and a white tail. Both darker and paler
forms exist. The hibernating queen emerges very early, in March during the
spring. Irish redlist status: data deficient
Bombus jonellus is a species of bumblebee that bears the common name heath humble-bee or small heath
bumblebee. A fairly small bumblebee, with body lengths around 16 mm (queen), 12 mm (worker) and 12 mm
(male). The queen has an average wingspan of 29 mm. The face
and proboscis (tongue) are short. Females (queens and workers) have a
predominantly black abdomen with a yellow collar, the first and sometimes
second terga yellow, and a white tail. The face is black, occasionally with a
patch of yellow fur on the top. Males are similar, but with more yellow; the
yellow collar continues on the ventral side, the two first terga are always
yellow, and there is much more yellow fur on the face. Bombus jonellus is
found in gardens, meadows as well as on heath and moorland. The
bumblebee visits various food sources as clover, bird's-foot trefoil, cowberry, thistlesand many others.
Irish redlist status: least concern
Bombus Pascuorum, bumblebee fields, is a wasp insect of the family Apidae
Environments rather low vegetation and edges. The colony nests in holes in the
ground, in dead wood or grass large clumps; often found in bird nests the queen
produces unfit worker reproduction. These will help expand the nest and feed on
other larvae. Males and females are fully grown from July to August. The
colonies then reach 130 to 150 individuals. The old queen dies in SeptemberOctober and the colony goes off. Only a few young queens get fertilized in
winter and remit new colonies in the spring. Irish redlist status: least concern
Bombus muscorum, commonly known as large carder bee or moss carder bee, is a
species of bumblebee found in Eurasia. Bombus muscorum is a bumblebee with an
oblong face and a relatively long tongue. The fur on the face, thorax and abdomen is
almost entirely ginger. The second terga (abdominal segment) can, however, have a
darker, brownish colouring. In Britain, island forms can have the ginger fur on the
body and face intermixed with black hair, as well as an entirely black ventral side.
Bombus muscorum prefers moors, grasslands and salt marshes, where it builds its
nest on or just below ground. The bumblebee collects dry grass and moss to cover
the nest. The nest is small, containing less than 100 workers.
Irish redlist status: near threatened
Bombus hortorum is a species of bumblebee. It bears the common name garden bumblebee or small garden
bumblebee, and can be found in most of Europe. This bumblebee has an
oblong head and a very long glossa (tongue), up to 15 mm, in some cases
even 20 mm . In fact the tongue is so long that the bee often fly with it
extended when collecting nectar. The queen is of a very variable size,
body length between 19 mm and 22 mm, wing span 35 mm to 38 mm. The
workers are almost as big, the larger ones overlapping the smaller queens.
The colour is black with a yellow collar, a narrow yellow band on
the scutellum, and a third yellow band on terga (abdominal segments) 1 and
2. The tail is white. Darker forms, with little yellow in their fur, are common. The nest, normally containing 50
to 120 workers, can be built both over and below ground. Due to its long tongue this bumblebee mainly visits
flowers with deep corollae, asdeadnettles, ground ivy, vetches, clovers, comfrey, foxglove, and thistles.
Irish redlist status: least concern
Bombus lapidarius is a species of bumblebee in the subgenus Melanobombus. Red-tailed
bumblebees are mostly coloured black, though the hind-quarters are auburn red. Male
exemplars feature a yellow band on their chest. Their nests are built in cairnsor walls,
which explains the literal meanings of their common names in various Germanic
languages: "Stone bumblebee". They are also found though in the straw of stables or in
abandoned birds' nests. An average colony consists of about 100 to 200 worker bees.
Red-tailed bumblebees prefer the nectar of various species of clover and deadnettle.
Irish redlist status: near threatened
Bombus ruderarius, commonly known as the red-shanked carder bee or red-shanked bumblebee, is a species
of bumblebee found in Eurasia. Bombus ruderarius is a relatively small
bumblebee with a wide abdomen, an oblong face and a fairly long
tongue. The queen has an average length of 17 mm and a wingspan of
32 mm while the other castes are somewhat smaller; the workers
having an average length of 15 mm, the males 13 mm. The color is
prominently black, with a red tail; among males there exists, however,
a lighter form with yellow-green hairs on the thorax and the first two
terga (abdominal segments). The corbicula (pollen basket) on the hind
legs of females (queens and workers) is covered with yellow-red hair.
The nest is constructed of grass or moss, on or slightly below ground,
and typically contains 50 to 100 workers. Often old mouse nests in open grassland and scrubs are used. The
species can however also appear in sparsely built-up urban areas as gardens and wasteland. Favorite food source
are deadnettles, clover, vetch and legumes asbird's-foot trefoil.
Irish redlist status: vulnerable