Bombus rupestris is a species of cuckoo bumblebee.

Distribution

The bumblebee is present in most of Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 except Iceland

Iceland

Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

 and the Balkans

Balkans

The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...

. It is also found in Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

.

Description

The female is much larger than the male; she has a length of 20 to 25 mm, while the drone usually is not more than 16 mm. The bumblebee is black, with the last abdominal segments coloured orange-red.

Due to its parasitic lifestyle no workers exist.

Behaviour

Bombus rupestris is found in flower-rich habitats, such as meadows and along hedgerows. The bumblebee parasites the nests of Bombus lapidarius

Bombus lapidarius

Bombus lapidarius, the Red-tailed bumblebee, is a species of bumblebee in the subgenus Melanobombus.-Characteristics:Red-tailed bumblebees are mostly coloured black, the hind-quarters are auburn red though. Male exemplars feature a yellow band on their chest...

, the red-tailed bumblebee, whose queen is killed or subjugated.