Photo: S. Rae / CC BY 2.0
Bombus lucorum
White-tailed Bumblebee
A large, early-flying bumblebee belonging to the Bombus lucorum complex, with a black body, a bright yellow collar and thoracic band, and a white tail. Queens emerge as early as February and establish underground colonies in abandoned rodent burrows. It is one of the most common bumblebees across Switzerland from lowlands to over 2500 m in the Alps. A generalist forager visiting a vast range of flowers, it is parasitised by Bombus bohemicus. Swiss Red List: Least Concern (LC).
Species Facts
- Size
- 9–21 mm
- Flight Period
- February to September
- Nesting
- Ground
- Specialization
- Generalist
- Abundance
- Very common
- Family
- Apidae
External Sources
This data has been cross-referenced with national sources:
Data Source & Copyright
| Category | Source / Author | License |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | S. Rae | CC BY 2.0 |
| Taxonomy & Distribution | InfoFauna Switzerland | Public data |
| Global Distribution | GBIF | CC BY 4.0 |
Data Quality
High Quality Last audit: 2026-05-22
Completeness: 100%
✓Photo exists✓Traits consistent✓Description quality✓Red List referenced✓Attribution verified
Confidence: 83%
IdentifiabilityHighImage confidenceMediumImage qualityHighTrait coherenceHigh
