Maybe Heath Bumblebee?

tigger · #1 (**permalink**) 24-08-2008, 08:09 PM

This series of pictures were taken in my Dorset garden this afternoon, I'm thinking that this might be B. jonellus (heath bumblebee). We are near to heathland (about 1/4 mile).

It seems to have a broad head (which I believe is one of the things to look for), however I'm happy to stand corrected.... as I'm a beginner at this bumblebee ID lark!

Many thanks. Jane

eucera · #2 (**permalink**) 24-08-2008, 08:18 PM

This is one of the cuckoos - B. vestalis (I can see the antennal segments in one of the pics)

tigger · #3 (**permalink**) 24-08-2008, 10:29 PM

Thanks for putting me right Eucera. Does that mean that other bumblebees do not have segmentation of the antennae?

I think what also caught me out was the drabness of the colour (which I should have realised being so late in the year) and that it looked like it had a second stripe at the start of the abdomen.

One of the other things that I have read regarding "cuckoo" bumblebees is that their hair is sparser than "true" bumblebees... is this a reliable indicator?