What to look for: These bumblebees are black with red-orange tales. Males have distinctive golden bands across their thorax
Favourite plants: Thistles, bird-footed trefoil, buddleia, and other wildflowers
Making a nest: Social bees that nest in colonies underground
When active: Summer
Where seen: Across the UK
Red-tailed Bumblebees
Female red-tailed bumblebees are pitch black with, you guessed it, distinctive red-orange tales. The males standout from the all-female workers with golden bands across their thorax and yellow hairs around their collar and head.
These social bees nest in colonies underground, often at the base of trees, boulders, walls or buildings. Red-tailed bumblebees are widespread across the UK and have adapted to thrive in woodland, grassland, parks and gardens. Some of their favourite flowers include thistles, bird-footed trefoil and buddleia.