Red-tailed bumblebee, Bombus lapidarius
Red-tailed bumblebee (female), Bombus lapidarius © Silversyrpher, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
This bumblebee is mostly entirely black, except for its characteristic red-tail. Males, unlike the females, have yellow bands on their chest.
This bee is quite widespread and abundant, particularly in the south of the UK. It emerges in early spring, and usually nests underground, often in large colonies.
