| Bombus rupestris | |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Apidae |
| Genus: | Bombus |
| Subgenus: | Psithyrus |
| Species: | B. rupestris |
| Binomial name | |
|
Bombus rupestris (Fabricius, 1793) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Bombus rupestris is a species of cuckoo bumblebee present in most of Europe except Iceland and the Balkans. It is also found in Turkey.
The female is much larger than the male; she has a length of 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in), while the drone usually is not more than 16 mm (0.63 in). The bumblebee is black, with the last abdominal segments coloured orange-red.
Due to its parasitic lifestyle, no workers exist.
Bombus rupestris is found in flower-rich habitats, such as meadows and along hedgerows. The bumblebee parasitizes the nests of the red-tailed bumblebee, B. lapidarius, whose queen is killed or subjugated.