Queen lucorum or worker terrestris?

[Africa]

Given the harsh winter we have endured, I doubt there were any surviving wintering colonies in Hull this year, but I just wanted to make sure before labelling this as a queen B. lucorum...can anybody confirm?
Watched feeding lazily in a wonderfully smelling Mahonia, where a fresh Bombus lucorum also fed while and a couple of Anthophora plumipes males patrolled and rammed the bumblebees.

[Dogghound]

Looks like a Queen Bombus lucorum.

[JRsbugs]

I would say Bombus terrestris worker, I have had a couple which look like workers for a while now. The tail is a little buff, and you usually find queen B. lucorum has more depth (vertically) of white.

The shape is also a little different, something you get to recognise after looking for so long but when it comes to workers of both they can get confusing. The abdomen band is also a deep golden colour which is typical of B. terrestris. It can show up lighter on B. terrestris in some angles but it doesn't show up darker on B. lucorum as a rule.

Janet

[Geoff F]

Just going by the size of those mahonia flowers, it does appear a touch on the large size for a worker; but looking at the colouration, I wouldn't like to put any money on it either way.

[JRsbugs]

Some B. terrestris workers are quite big, but it could even be a B. terrestris queen.

[Dogghound]

Stripe colour looks better for lucorum to me. Pretty hard without the bee in hand, or a better view.

[JRsbugs]

B. lucorum generally has a more lemon yellow stripe. I had a nest under my greenhouse last year.

Here's a pic of a queen in May, you can see how much whiter the tail is.

[Dogghound]

That my point, the front stripe is very lemmony.

[JRsbugs]

Yes it does look lemony, but the light at angles can be tricky. The abdomen band is deeper gold, and the tail is less than pristine white.

[Dogghound]

True.

Erm... think i will leave it as bombus. Very hard without the bee