Looks like the Tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum). It’s a fairly recent invader from Europe which likes to nest high up in trees. Slightly more aggressive than British bumblebees towards people standing near its nests, so be careful!
Thanks Emily. Just googled that type (hadn’t heard of it before). It could well be that … but this bee i photographed seemed to have a pointier “tail” than the ones on google.
I have done some more research and am wondering if its a “Gypsy cuckoo bee”?
Ah yes the gypsy cuckoo bee could be another possibility, what a great name for a bee! The BWARS website has some good photos here of the cuckoo bee: http://www.bwars.com/index.php?q=bee/apidae/bombus-bohemicus. You can see the orange/red stripe at the top is fairly narrow.
Here are the BWARS photos of Bombus Hypnorum, you can see the orangey/red patch at the top goes further down the thorax and is less of a stripe: http://www.bwars.com/index.php?q=bee/apidae/bombus-hypnorum. Which do you think looks more like the bee you saw?
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Looks like the Tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum). It’s a fairly recent invader from Europe which likes to nest high up in trees. Slightly more aggressive than British bumblebees towards people standing near its nests, so be careful!
Thanks Emily. Just googled that type (hadn’t heard of it before). It could well be that … but this bee i photographed seemed to have a pointier “tail” than the ones on google.
I have done some more research and am wondering if its a “Gypsy cuckoo bee”?
Ah yes the gypsy cuckoo bee could be another possibility, what a great name for a bee! The BWARS website has some good photos here of the cuckoo bee: http://www.bwars.com/index.php?q=bee/apidae/bombus-bohemicus. You can see the orange/red stripe at the top is fairly narrow.
Here are the BWARS photos of Bombus Hypnorum, you can see the orangey/red patch at the top goes further down the thorax and is less of a stripe: http://www.bwars.com/index.php?q=bee/apidae/bombus-hypnorum. Which do you think looks more like the bee you saw?
This pic is of a queen B. hypnorum
Many thanks Stuart. The website of your organisation – Bees, Wasps & Ants Recording Society – is excellent.