Great Yellow Humble-bee
Bombus distinguendus
Bombus distinguendus, the great yellow bumblebee, is a species of bumblebee found in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, northern Russia, and Alaska.
27
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombus_distinguendus
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Hymenoptera
Family
Apidae
Genus
Bombus
Great Yellow Humble-bee belongs to the family Apidae, order Hymenoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Bombus distinguendus, the great yellow bumblebee, is a species of bumblebee found in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, northern Russia, and Alaska.
The Great Yellow Humble-bee has experienced severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of flower-rich grasslands and coastal machair systems. Agricultural intensification, including increased use of pesticides and conversion of traditional hay meadows to intensive farming, has eliminated much of the species' foraging habitat. Climate change and coastal erosion further threaten the remaining populations in their restricted range.
Key Facts
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Great Yellow Humble-bee has experienced severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of flower-rich grasslands and coastal machair systems. Agricultural intensification, including increased use of pesticides and conversion of traditional hay meadows to intensive farming, has eliminated much of the species' foraging habitat. Climate change and coastal erosion further threaten the remaining populations in their restricted range.
Agricultural intensification
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Pesticide use
Climate change
Coastal erosion
Found in 27 Countries
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | VUVulnerable | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Great Yellow Humble-bee (Bombus distinguendus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/great-yellow-humble-bee