This is an extremely variable species across its European range. The British form looks much like Irish Bombus muscorum, with pale buffish hairs on the abdomen and darker orange hairs on the thorax. The key distinguishing feature for these specimens in the brownish band on the second tergite, which is distinctive in relatively fresh specimens. Other forms possess more dark hair, with some being almost entirely black.

Distribution: In Europe this species is widespread, occuring in northern and central Spain, through France and eastwards, as far south as Greece and as far north as Estonia. It also occurs in England and Wales as well as southern Fennoscandia. It is widespread but localised in Anatolia.

Flight Period: Queens emerge in April or May, workers usually in June and males in July and August. It may persist until October in some areas.

Habitat: A species of open, flower-rich habitats. These include coastal dunes, field margins, subalpine meadows, unimproved grassland, brownfield land and sometimes woodland edges and clearings.

Flowers Visited: Kidney Vetch, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, clovers, woundworts, dead-nettles, thistles, scabiouses and other Lamiaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae.

Personal Records: I have observed this species around the village of Lillaz in NW Italy. Here I found a handful of males around the flower-rich edges of mixed woodland. It was vastly outnumbered by other Bombus species here.