Bombus lapidarius

Queens and workers are black with extensive red over the last quarter of the abdomen and no yellow bands on the thorax.

Males also have the red tail but usually carry extensive yellow markings on the face and thorax.

Adults are about 10 to 23 mm long: queens about 20 to 22 mm, workers 11 to 16 mm and males 14 to 16 mm.

It is widely distributed throughout Britain and Ireland and has been extending its range into northern Scotland in recent decades.

It is very widespread across central Europe and reaches north to the Arctic Circle in Finland, though it is uncommon beyond the latitude of Stockholm.

Its most southern record is in Morocco, in the alpine zone of Jbel Siroua, where a separate subspecies occurs.

It lives in a wide range of habitats and is regularly seen in gardens as well as open countryside and woodland.

Queens emerge from hibernation in March, workers appear from April, and males and new queens fly from July to early October.

Colonies are large, with between 100 and 300 workers.

Nests are underground and are started in old mammal nests.

It shows no clear flower preferences, though it is said to be fond of visiting yellow flowers.

In a genetic study on arable farmland in the UK, its estimated maximum foraging range was about 450 m from the nest, shorter than the 758 m estimated for the buff-tailed bumblebee.

In the same study it had the highest estimated nest density of the four species compared, about 117 nests per square kilometre.

In Britain it is not regarded as scarce or threatened.