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When to look
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Red-tailed bee
Good to know
Six things about the red-tailed bee
LookBlack with a red tail
The females are jet black with a bright orange-red tail. The males also have yellow bands on the face and the front of the body.
NameThe stone bee
Its Latin name, lapidarius, means "of stones": they often nest under stones, in old walls and in rockeries.
FlowersA taste for yellow
They're especially fond of yellow flowers such as dandelions and bird's-foot trefoil.
SpringAn early start
Queens wake up in spring and look for a nest site. You'll see them zig-zagging low over the ground, searching.
FamilyA summer colony
By midsummer a nest can hold a hundred or more workers, all daughters of the one queen.
CommonOne of the big seven
It's one of the seven bumblebees you're most likely to see in a British garden.
The real thing
Photos of the red-tailed bee
Out and aboutHow to spot one
Look on dandelions, clover and thistles from spring onwards. The jet-black body with a bright red-orange tail is easy to pick out.
Lend a handHow to help
Let clover and dandelions flower in the lawn. Dry stone walls, rockeries and compost heaps all offer nesting places.
Following youLadybird
Who should follow you?
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