Taxonomy
Bombus (Bombus) lucorum
Pre 2017
2017 - 2020
Status
Conservation status
Least concern
Species Biology
Identification
- Clean white tail
- Queens have one lemon yellow band on the thorax and one on the abdomen
- Males have a thin yellow band at the base of the thorax and a yellow face
- Queens and males can be distinguished from Bombus terrestris, but the research has shown that the workers of B. terrestris and B. lucorum cannot be reliably separated by sight. Workers of either should be recorded as B. lucorum agg. (aggregate)
- Bombus lucorum is part of a closely related species complex that also includes Bombus magnus and Bombus cryptarum. Molecular analysis has shown that all these species occur in Ireland but that they cannot be reliably distinguished from each other morphologically. See Murray T.E., Fitzpatrick Ú., Brown M.J.F. & Paxton R.J. (2008). Cryptic diversity in a widespread bumble bee complex revealed using mitochondrial DNA RFLPs. Conservation Genetics 9: 653-666. All should be recorded as 'Bombus lucorum' and they are treated as a sister complex.
Habitat
Common and found in a wide range of habitats, including parks and gardens.
Flight period
January-December
Nesting biology
Nests underground in cavities
Flowers visited
Polylectic - Lamium, Trifolium, Lupinus, Ballota, Ribes, Rosa, Salix, Sinapis, Lavandula, Impatiens, Malus
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
Oriental, Japanese, Palaearctic, Arctic, W Nearctic regions
Temporal change
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2024
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References
Publications
Conservation status: FitzPatrick Ú., Murray T.E., Byrne A., Paxton
R.J., Brown M.J.F. (2006) Regional Red List of Irish Bees, Publ. Rep. to
National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland) and Environment and Heritage
Service (N. Ireland). http://www.npws.ie/publications/red-lists
Flowers visited & World distribution: Westrich, P. (1989) Die Wildbienen
Baden-Württembergs. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, Germany.