Broken-belted bumblebee
Bombus soroeensis
Black notch in middle of yellow abdomen band
Queen
Bright yellow collar
Bright yellow abdomen band with black notch in middle
White tail with peach trim
May
Worker
Bright yellow collar
Bright yellow abdomen band with black notch in middle
White tail often with peach trim
June
Male
Black fluffy face
Bright yellow collar
Bright yellow abdomen band with black notch in middle
White tail with peach trim
August
- Seen later in the year
- The black notch is black hairs – not the wear and tear sometimes seen in other bees
- Workers are small
- Looks like a white-tailed bumblebee but has a longer face
- White tail often has a peach trim which can be so broad as to resemble a buff tail
- Frequently found in Scotland
Broken-belted bumblebee
Bombus soroeensis
Look for a peach trim to the tail
Found in moorlands, heathlands and grasslands
- Bird’s-foot-trefoils
- Brambles
- Campanula species
- Clover
- Comfrey
- Harebell
- Heather
- Knapweed
- Melilots
- Raspberry
- Rosebay willowherb
- Devil’s-bit scabious
- White dead-nettle
Crocus
Lavendar
Thistle
Nest
- Underground, they like old rodent nests
- Usually 1 cycle per year
- Last 2-4 months
- Around 80 – 150 workers
Distribution
- Localised
- Frequent in Scotland
- Infrequent in England and Wales