black bee for id please

[Rambling Rob]

This black bee seen this afternoon is one of a number apparently nesting in soft sandstone cliffs near Sandown, IoW.
Sorry it's a lousy photo, the cliff face is vertical and none settled close enough for a decent shot, but I thought it looked interesting.
Any chance of a stab at a possible identity?
I hope to return for a clearer photo.



Thanks for your interest,
Rob

[RedneckBadger]

Hey.

Im new to the site an just saw your post.
Im thinking it could be the black version of the Ruderal bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus). There are a few colourings of this bee, one is like the more common garden bumblebee and the other again like it but smaller yellow bands. They are pretty rare and found here and there in southern and eastern England.
I dont know if we have them up in Scotland but I did have a huge black bumblebee hit my sunglasses as my head was out the sunroof of the car,lol and it fell inside so I was able to see it. That was a long time ago an I didnt even think to identify it.
Badger

[eucera]

This one is the cuckoo bee Melecta albifrons, the cuckoo associated with Anthophora plumipes.

[RedneckBadger]

Yup, lookin at it an seein the larger antennae, cuckoo bee. Theyre unknown up here so never seen one but shouldve thought of that.

[Rambling Rob]

Thank you - Melecta albifrons looks spot on, and I think I must have seen the almost-all-black females.
Their behaviour I observed of hanging about nest holes fits with the cuckoo bee.
All the best,
Rob