A handsome bee which is similar to the ubiquitous Bombus pascuorum. Queens, workers and males are all broadly similar, with a bright rust-coloured thoracic pile and blonde hairs on the abdomen and sides of the thorax (on the Aran Islands the form allenellus exists which has black hairs in place of blonde). On the Irish mainland, individuals will never have black hairs on the abdomen. It was previously fairly common, but habitat loss and agricultural intensification have caused its population to fall markedly and it is now classed as Near Threatened.

Distribution in Ireland: Widespread but not common, very rare in Northern Ireland.

Flight Period: April-September.

Habitat: A wide range of flower-rich habitats are used, particularly coastal meadows, dune systems, unimproved grassland, limestone pavement, damp meadows, heathland and bogland margins.

Flowers visited: Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Kidney Vetch, Field Scabious, Ragwort, Common Knapweed,  brambles, Yarrow, Yellow Rattle Hedge Woundwort, Ling and others.

Personal Records: This is a species which I have been fortunate to encounter at several sites. Killard Point in Co. Down is one of the few sites for this species in NI and I have recorded it here on several occasions, although even here it is scarce and it’s possible that even here it no longer present, as I have not recorded it here since 2018 despite several visits. I have also recorded it at several sites in Donegal, most frequently at Sheskinmore and Dunfanaghy but also at Dawros Head and the hamlet of Carn. I have also recorded workers in Baltray Dunes in Louth, Ballard in Clare, near Castlecoote in Roscommon and at Finnamore Lakes in Offaly. Flower-rich habitats are essential for this species. It is one of the hosts of the Field Cuckoo Bee (Bombus campestris).