# Red-tailed Bumble Bee (*Bombus lapidarius*) The Red-tailed Bumble Bee is a fuzzy little insect that loves to buzz around flowers. They help plants grow by spreading pollen, making them very important for nature! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Red-tailed Bumblebee ![Red-tailed Bumble Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bombus_lapidarius_-_Melilotus_officinalis_-_Tallinn.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bombus_lapidarius_-_Melilotus_officinalis_-_Tallinn.jpg) ## Appearance The Red-tailed Bumble Bee has a striking jet-black body, famously contrasted by its vibrant, fiery orange-red tail. Queens and workers are entirely black with this distinctive tail, while males often sport yellow hairs on their face and sometimes the front of their thorax, making them easily identifiable. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Apidae - **Genus:** Bombus ## Interesting facts - Bumble bees visit hundreds of flowers daily, gathering nectar and pollen for their young. - Queens sleep underground all winter, emerging in spring to start new colonies! - Their bright red tail warns predators to stay away, a natural 'do not disturb' sign! - Tiny 'pollen baskets' on their legs help them carry food to the nest! ## Special abilities - **Super Pollinator:** Red-tailed Bumble Bees can 'buzz pollinate' (sonication), which helps release pollen from certain flowers like tomatoes. - **Excellent Navigator:** Red-tailed Bumble Bees have an amazing internal compass that helps them find their way back to the nest. - **Cold Weather Cruiser:** Red-tailed Bumble Bees can shiver their flight muscles to warm up, allowing them to forage in cooler temperatures. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-45 mm - **Size:** 12-22 mm - **Lifespan:** 20-365 days - **Flight Speed:** 20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 300 ## Diet & Feeding They drink sweet flower nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen for their young. - **Primary Foods:** flower nectar, flower pollen, tree sap - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Red Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-clover) (*Trifolium pratense*) — An important food source, especially for queens. - **Pollinates:** [Foxglove](https://www.snappit.app/explore/foxglove) (*Digitalis purpurea*) — They are well-suited to pollinate deep, tubular flowers. - **Parasitizes:** Cuckoo Bumblebee (*Bombus vestalis*) — A 'cuckoo' bee that lays eggs in their nest. - **Eaten by:** Magpie (*Pica pica*) — Birds sometimes prey on foraging bees. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be gentle and stay calm if you see a bee. They usually won't bother you if you don't bother them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-tailed Bumble Bee? Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Red-tailed Bumble Bee's wingspan? 25-45 mm ### How big is Red-tailed Bumble Bee? 12-22 mm ### How long does Red-tailed Bumble Bee live? 20-365 days ### How fast can Red-tailed Bumble Bee fly? 20 km/h ### What does Red-tailed Bumble Bee eat? They drink sweet flower nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen for their young. ### Where is Red-tailed Bumble Bee usually found? Grasslands ### How does Red-tailed Bumble Bee hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Botanischer Garten Halle (Saale)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/botanischer-garten-halle-saale) — Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Park - [Hastedter Park am Weserwehr (Bremen)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hastedter-park-am-weserwehr-bremen) — Bremen, DE · Park ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Red-tailed Bumble Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-bumble-bee)