Fiery-tailed bumble bees are native to East Asia and do not occur in the wild in the United States. Females are mostly black with a bright orange tail, and the species is managed as a crop pollinator in Korea and Japan.
Appearance
Appearance
Queens and workers are mostly black with an orange tail; males have yellow hair and black bands. Queens can reach about 0.9 in (23 mm), while workers are often smaller.
Where it lives
Typical habitats
Flowering fields in East Asia
Managed greenhouses in East Asia
Range
Its native range includes the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and China. It is not part of the wild U.S. bumble bee fauna.
Preferred conditions
Queens often begin colonies in sheltered cavities, including abandoned rodent nests.
Behavior
Diet
Adults collect nectar and pollen from flowers.
Activity
After winter, a mated queen emerges and starts a new colony on her own.
Social life
A colony includes a queen, female workers, and males with different roles.
Life cycle
Breeding season
The species usually completes one colony cycle each year. New queens mate, overwinter, and begin fresh colonies the next spring.
Nest
Nests are commonly built in underground cavities or abandoned small-mammal nests.
Connected species
Pollinators
Workers carry pollen as they visit flowers. Commercial colonies are used to pollinate greenhouse crops in East Asia.
Conservation
IUCN Red List
NENot Evaluated·Not yet assessed
Status
Japan's 2020 national Red List places the species in its category.
Culture and stories
Culture and stories
In Japan, it is promoted as a native alternative to the introduced buff-tailed bumble bee (Bombus terrestris).