This is Ireland’s newest species of bumblebee, having arrived here in 2014. Over the last 20 years, it has spread rapidly northwards from Southampton in southern England as far as the Isle of Mull in Scotland and now inhabits much of the UK. In Ireland, since it was first seen along the Co. Antrim coast it has since been seen near Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Co. Down and is expanding quickly. It has a distinctive appearance, with queens, workers and males all possessing a black body with a ginger thoracic pile and white tail. Unusually for bumblebees it nests well above ground and often utilises old birdboxes.

Distribution in Ireland: Records include the vicinities of Belfast, Cork and Dublin cities as well as counties Antrim and Down.

Flight Period: March-September. In Ireland it appears to peak early, with queens emerging in March, workers in May and males in June. I have yet to observe it later than June, which may suggest a single generation.

Habitat: Gardens and parks, woodland, woody scrub, farmland hedgerows.

Flowers visited: Currant, Bramble, Hawthorn, Cotoneaster, Willow catkins, Roses, Thistles.

Personal Records: I have recorded this species annually in Hillsborough (Co. Down) since 2020, usually foraging or feeding on Raspberry and bramble blossom and the sighting of a queen feeding on Sallow catkins in 2022. I have also recorded a queen in Armagh city and Brackagh Bog (Co. Armagh), workers in Lagan Meadows (Co. Antrim) foraging on Hawthorn, a queen at Drumcairne Forest (Co. Tyrone) and a male at Ards Forest (Co. Donegal) feeding on Raspberry. I have not observed the nesting sites, but colonies are formed above ground, often 1-3 metres high. At present, they are most likely to be seen in the eastern counties foraging on plants such as brambles, Hawthorn and a variety of shrubs in parkland, woodland edges and hedgerows.