Orange-tip vs Red-tailed Bumblebee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Orange-tip Red-tailed Bumblebee
Scientific Name Anthocharis cardamines Bombus lapidarius
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Pieridae Apidae
Size 38-48 mm wingspan 11-22 mm
Habitat Woodlands Grasslands
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Western Europe, Central Europe, Northern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Orange-tip

Males have bright orange wingtips; females are plain white with black tips. A herald of spring in European woodlands.

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Did You Know?

Males patrol hedgerows searching for freshly emerged females, never visiting the same flower patch twice.

Red-tailed Bumblebee

A jet-black bumblebee with a vivid orange-red tail that is unmistakable in flight. It commonly nests underground in old mouse burrows and stone walls.

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Did You Know?

Its nest name 'lapidarius' means 'of stones' because it often nests beneath rocks and walls.