# White-tailed Bumble Bee (*Bombus lucorum*) The White-tailed Bumble Bee is a fuzzy, friendly insect that loves to visit 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:** Gardens - **Also known as:** White-tailed Bumblebee ![White-tailed Bumble Bee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bombus_lucorum_-_Epilobium_angustifolium_-_Keila.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bombus_lucorum_-_Epilobium_angustifolium_-_Keila.jpg) ## Appearance The White-tailed Bumble Bee has a stout, fuzzy body adorned with distinct black and bright yellow bands. Its most distinguishing feature is the pure white 'tail' or tip of its abdomen, which clearly contrasts with its black midsection, making it easily identifiable from similar species. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Apidae - **Genus:** Bombus ## Interesting facts - A single queen can start a brand-new colony all by herself! - Bumble bees are super important for pollinating many of our favorite berries! - They navigate using invisible patterns of light in the sky, like a secret map! - They often make their cozy nests underground, sometimes in old mouse holes. ## Special abilities - **Buzz Pollination Power:** White-tailed Bumble Bee can 'buzz pollinate' by vibrating its flight muscles, releasing pollen from flowers that other bees can't access. - **Internal Thermostat:** White-tailed Bumble Bee has the ability to shiver its flight muscles, warming its body to fly and forage even on cool mornings. - **Long-Tongue Feeder:** White-tailed Bumble Bee has a long proboscis (tongue) that helps it reach nectar deep inside tubular flowers, accessing food others miss. - **Navigation Navigator:** White-tailed Bumble Bee can use the sun's position and polarized light to accurately find its way back to the nest. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-40 mm - **Size:** 11-22 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-28 days - **Flight Speed:** 20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 400 ## Diet & Feeding They sip sugary nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen for their babies. - **Primary Foods:** nectar, pollen, clover flowers, thistle flowers, heather flowers - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [White Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-clover) (*Trifolium repens*) — An important nectar and pollen source for the bee. - **Pollinates:** [Foxglove](https://www.snappit.app/explore/foxglove) (*Digitalis purpurea*) — The bee's long tongue reaches nectar deep in its bell-shaped flowers. - **Parasitizes:** Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee (*Bombus bohemicus*) — This cuckoo bee invades nests and lays its own eggs. - **Eaten by:** [Red-backed Shrike](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-backed-shrike) (*Lanius collurio*) — A predatory bird known to feed on larger insects like bumble 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. - [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. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [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 Bumble bees are usually friendly, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White-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 White-tailed Bumble Bee's wingspan? 25-40 mm ### How big is White-tailed Bumble Bee? 11-22 mm ### How long does White-tailed Bumble Bee live? 14-28 days ### How fast can White-tailed Bumble Bee fly? 20 km/h ### What does White-tailed Bumble Bee eat? They sip sugary nectar for energy and gather protein-rich pollen for their babies. ### Where is White-tailed Bumble Bee usually found? Gardens ### How does White-tailed Bumble Bee hunt? Foraging ## 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: [White-tailed Bumble Bee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-bumble-bee)