Red-tailed bumblebee
Bombus lapidarius
Habitat
The Red-tailed bumblebee is found throughout Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. This bumblebee species thrives in a wide variety of locations—from woodlands, open spaces, cities, leguminous grasslands, ruderal areas, riverbanks, and gardens. The Red-tailed bumblebee even finds nesting opportunities in untidy patches of ground or among rocks.
Appearance
Life cycle
In March, the queen emerges from hibernation. She searches for nectar to regain her strength and then searches for a suitable nesting spot, often under stones or in the ground. There she lays her first eggs. Within a few days, the larvae hatch and grow into the first workers. They help feed the colony.
Once there are enough workers, the queen slows down. They now take care of the nest, while the queen focuses on laying new eggs—now males and future queens.
These males and queens emerge in July and August. After mating in the fall, the entire colony dies, except for the young queens. They look for a safe place to hibernate, for example, under a stone, in a flowerpot, or even in a birdhouse. As soon as spring arrives, the whole adventure starts all over again.
What can you do?
Red-tailed bumblebees need nectar and pollen at every stage of their lives. So you can provide plants that bloom throughout the year, such as Willow (Salix), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Petty whin (Genista anglica), Butterfly-bush (Buddleja davidii), Brambles (Rubus), White clover (Trifolium repens), Common bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Red clover (Trifolium pratense), Ragwort (Jacobaea), Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare), Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), Purple-loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), and Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus).
Since Red-tailed bumblebees like to nest under stones, in old walls, in birdhouses or even in an abandoned rabbit hole, you can leave a pile of stones or wood there, keep a part of the garden cluttered or put up a special bumblebee or bee hotel (preferably in a quiet place in partial shade).
Caution with some plant species
The stem, leaves, and pit of the Prunus (Prunus) contain hydrogen cyanide. The ripe fruit is the only part of this plant that is not poisonous.
The berries of the Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) are mildly poisonous. If you consume less than 10 berries, simply drink some water.
The Prunus domestica (Prunus domestica) is a mildly poisonous plant species, but the fruits are edible.
All parts of the Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) are poisonous, except for the ripe cherries.
The berries of the Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) are mildly poisonous. If you consume less than 5 berries, you should drink water. If you consume more, consult your doctor. The leaves and other parts of the plant are poisonous.
The Rhododendron (Rhododendron) is poisonous.
The berries of the Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster) are hardly poisonous. If you consume less than 10 berries, it is sufficient to drink some water.
