Head to head
Tree Bumblebee vs Red-tailed Bumblebee
Tree Bumblebee
VS Red-tailed Bumblebee
The tree bumblebee and red-tailed bumblebee are two common bumblebees of European gardens that are easy to tell apart once you know the colours.
| Tree Bumblebee | Red-tailed Bumblebee | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Bombus hypnorum | Bombus lapidarius |
| Relationship | A close relative of the red-tailed bumblebee, in the same genus | A close relative of the tree bumblebee, in the same genus |
| Colour | A ginger-brown thorax, a black abdomen, and a clean white tail | A velvety black body and a bright red-orange tail, with males also carrying yellow facial hair and a yellow collar |
| Nest | Above ground, in holes in trees, bird boxes, and the roof spaces of buildings | Underground, in old rodent holes, under stones, and in the cavities of walls and rockeries |
| Colony | A few hundred bees, larger than those of many other bumblebees, defended vigorously by the workers | A few hundred workers by midsummer, before new queens and males are produced |
| Notable fact | First recorded in Britain in 2001, and has since spread across England and Wales | The host of the red-tailed cuckoo bumblebee, which invades the nest and has the workers raise its young |
| Habitat and range | Woodland edges, parks, and gardens across much of Europe and northern Asia, now widespread in Britain | Grassland, farmland, and gardens across much of Europe, extending into western Asia |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, with a stable population | Least Concern, with a stable population |
Tree Bumblebee vs Red-tailed Bumblebee: common questions
Which bumblebee has a white tail?
The tree bumblebee, which has a ginger-brown thorax, a black abdomen, and a clean white tail.
Which one nests in bird boxes?
The tree bumblebee, which nests above ground in holes in trees, bird boxes, and the roof spaces of buildings.
What is a cuckoo bumblebee?
A species that invades another bumblebee's nest, kills the queen, and has the workers raise its young, and the red-tailed bumblebee is one host.