Western Honey Bee vs White-tailed Bumble Bee

The Western Honey Bee is a well-known social insect, measuring 12 to 15 millimetres long. It has a sturdy body with amber and black bands on its abdomen, though the colours can vary between different types. Worker bees have branched hairs on their bodies to help collect pollen. They also have special structures on their hind legs that form baskets for carrying pollen. This bee is different from other species in its group because of its moderate size and its ability to live in cooler climates. Originally, the Western Honey Bee was found in Europe, western Asia, and Africa. Now, because of humans, it can be found all over the world. In Britain, the bees live in managed hives, but sometimes they make their homes in hollow trees, chimneys, or gaps in walls. They search for food in many places, from gardens to open moorland, visiting flowers to gather nectar and pollen. They usually stay within a few kilometres of their nest. Worker bees are active from spring to autumn. The colonies survive through the winter by grouping together in a way that is unique to British bees.

The White-tailed Bumble Bee is a common and widespread insect across the British Isles. It can be found in gardens, meadows, hedgerows, and the edges of woodlands from March to October. Workers and queens have a distinctive white tail, but the colour on their middle body section differs. Queens have two yellow bands and a light brownish middle section, while workers usually have brighter yellow bands on a black middle section. Male bees can be recognised by their longer antennae and more yellow hairs on their faces. This species makes its nests underground, often using old rodent burrows. Colonies can grow to about 400 bees. They feed from a wide range of flowering plants, especially liking legumes, thistles, and dead-nettles. The White-tailed Bumble Bee is very similar to two other bumble bee species, which makes it hard to tell them apart without careful examination or genetic testing.