White-Tailed or Buff Tailed or other Bee?

[ClarkeRobinson]

Hi Everyone

I'm having difficultly IDing this bee and wondered if I was close in my assumption it might be a White-Tailed bumble bee?



Thanks in advance for any help.

Clarke

[ClarkeRobinson]

Whoops, I know it's sometimes important to mention where/when the picture was taken, so it was taken in Kensington Gdns, London on 3rd June this year.

Thanks again

[Jason Green]

Hmmm... the yellow/buff line between the white tail and last black abdominal band suggests B. terrestris... Someone will be more sure soon!

[eucera]

Actually... its neither! This is one of the cuckoo bumbles, and is most probably Bombus vestalis (it is not possible to be 100% connfident with the id as its near relative B. bohemicus is very similar and separable only on one tiny character). B. vestalis is MUCH commoner in the south though so it is more likely to be this species

[ClarkeRobinson]

Many thanks for all the replies folks.

Eucera, about the cuckoo bumbles....is it possible to have lots of this type of bee feeding on a single large bush, like 20 or more...or are they more likely to be solitary?

This one in the photo was definitely one of many on the same bush in the park on that day.

Thanks again for your replies, and I agree, it definitely looks like a Bombus vestalis.

Cheers. Clarke.

[JRsbugs]

In reply to your question Clarke, yes there can be many. There was a lot on a shrub of my neighbour's today which has just come into flower, I got some pics of a mating pair! On a hot day like we just had things start to happen.

Janet