description Bombus vestalis Overview
Bombus vestalis, commonly called the vestal cuckoo bumblebee, is a European parasitic bumblebee described by Étienne Louis Geoffroy in Fourcroy's 1785 work. Instead of founding and provisioning its own colony, a female enters the nest of another bumblebee, chiefly the buff-tailed bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, and uses the resident workers to raise her offspring. It belongs to the cuckoo-bumblebee group traditionally classified as the subgenus Psithyrus and lacks a worker caste of its own.
help Bombus vestalis FAQ
Why is Bombus vestalis called a cuckoo bumblebee?
A female Bombus vestalis enters the nest of another bumblebee, chiefly Bombus terrestris, and uses the host workers to rear her offspring. It does not found and provision a normal colony of its own, so it has no worker caste. [Bumblebee Conservation Trust](https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/learn-about-bumblebees/species-guide/southern-cuckoo-bumblebee/)
Which bumblebee hosts Bombus vestalis?
Its main host is the buff-tailed bumblebee, Bombus terrestris; records of other hosts such as Bombus lucorum are less central. The relationship is therefore a parasite-host interaction, not ordinary shared nesting. [Bumblebee Conservation Trust](https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/learn-about-bumblebees/species-guide/southern-cuckoo-bumblebee/)
When can I see Bombus vestalis in Britain?
The Bumblebee Conservation Trust says females usually emerge from hibernation from April, and females and males can be seen into late September. Its UK distribution is stronger in England and Wales than in Scotland. [Bumblebee Conservation Trust](https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/learn-about-bumblebees/species-guide/southern-cuckoo-bumblebee/)
Who described Bombus vestalis?
Étienne Louis Geoffroy described the species in 1785 in Fourcroy's work. In Britain it is commonly called the southern cuckoo bumblebee, while its scientific name remains Bombus vestalis. [Bumblebee Conservation Trust](https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/learn-about-bumblebees/species-guide/southern-cuckoo-bumblebee/)
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