Red-shanked Carder Bee Bombus ruderarius

The Red-shanked Carder Bee (Bombus ruderarius) is a scarce and declining bumblebee of flower-rich, unimproved grassland, heathland, and rough ground, recognised by the distinctive reddish-orange pollen baskets on its hind legs. It has declined substantially across Britain due to habitat loss and agricultural intensification, and is now largely confined to southern and western counties, with eastern records, including Suffolk, of considerable interest. A long-tongued species, it favours deep-tubed flowers, including red clover, vetches, and woundworts. Suffolk records are associated with coastal grassland and flower-rich habitats, and the species benefits from agri-environmental management that supports diverse, nectar-rich grassland on warm, sheltered ground. Image: © Steven Falk, Flickr.

Find out more: iNaturalist, Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society, Bumblebee Conservation Trust