Red-tailed Bumblbees

[Spannerman]

Delighted to discover red-tailed Bumblebees have moved into a disused tit box fixed at 3.5m above ground on the south-west side of our house. I thought they nested in burrows? The nest seems very active but I don't see them foraging in our garden. Is this normal behaviour for this species?

[eucera]

Not the commonest of nest sites, but still well known and widely reported.

[Spannerman]

Thanks, I thought it was unusual. Will they continue to use this site year on year or will they start a fresh one elsewhere after hibernation? What types of flower pollen do they favour? We've only got a small bit of clover in the lawn and I've yet to observe them anywher in our garden. I wonder how far they forage?

[eucera]

a) The nest will not be used, although the nest cavity might be.

b) B. lapidarius will forage at many (if not most) plants. They like clovers... and my Lavender is stuffed with them too

c) They can forage hundreds of metres away from the nest, but would rather get their forage closer to home if at all possible (like us really!)

[Africa]

Bombus lapidarius have short tongues and a preference for composite flowers: they are efficient foraging short, multiple flowers together. They have a broad range of plants they forage for nectar and pollen, you will be more successful attracting bumblebees in general if you plant large patches of flowers which flower for a long season. A lavender bush will flower for 3-4 months and has many flowers, appeals not only this but other sp. of bumblebees, cuckoo bumblebees, bees and white butterflies). Another flower they love is chives, mine is now almost spent but they keep visiting it! Hebe is another favourite. Good luck!

[cyberinsekt]

I also notice they are the most likely bumblebee to be foraging on bird's foot trefoil.