Bombus bohemicus
Bombus bohemicus is one of the Cuckoo Bees, so called because of their habit of finding a nest of their host species and infiltrating it. Cuckoo Bees have no worker caste, only males (Drones) in late Summer/Autumn and females (Queens) Only the young Bombus bohemicus Queens over-winter and emerge later than their hosts the following Spring, to take over a nest of Bombus lucorum. The existing Bombus lucorum Queen is usually killed and the Bombus bohemicus Queen takes over the colony and produces her own eggs, which the Bombus lucorum workers tend, till new males and females emerge during the Summer months. This is a common species, but identification is made very difficult with Bombus vestalis.
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UK distribution of Bombus bohemicus
 

The UK distribution maps on eakringbirds.com are provided by the National Biodiversity Network (NBN Gateway) Each red square on the map indicates species present in 10km grid squares.

Updated September 2011

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