Bombus sp. ID? (Cambs. UK) (1 Viewer)

[DoghouseRiley]

Hi All

Found feeding on ground ivy in a damp woodland ride.

Typical bumblebee appearance - black antenae, legs and eyes.
With a yellow collar, white/pale tail.

I can't narrow it down to a species?

Yours, Gareth

 

[aeshna5]

Looks to be one of the cuckoo species with black shiny chitin showy (less furry), darkened wings & there's no pollen basket. Would liked to have seen a better shot of the rear end.

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Thank aeshna5, I'll try to narrow it down.

 

[David_]

Looks to be one of the cuckoo species with black shiny chitin showy (less furry), darkened wings & there's no pollen basket. Would liked to have seen a better shot of the rear end.

Agree.
It seems like there is yellow on the side of the third tergite. So probably B. vestalis or B. bohemicus but don‘t know which species occur in Britain (and distinguishing them can be really hard). But I wouldn’t go farther than cuckoo sp. without more photos

 

[aeshna5]

Agree.
It seems like there is yellow on the side of the third tergite. So probably B. vestalis or B. bohemicus but don‘t know which species occur in Britain (and distinguishing them can be really hard). But I wouldn’t go farther than cuckoo sp. without more photos

Both of those species occur in the UK with B. vestalis much more common in the south (I've seen quite a few this week) & B. bohemicus in the north.

 

[Ficedula]

Bombus vestalis

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Bombus vestalis

Ficedula, could please elobrate?

And thanks again by the way. G

 

[Ficedula]

Ficedula, could please elobrate?

And thanks again by the way. G

I notice you do not say where this was taken, if not British then could be something else.

Of the Bombus subgen Psithyrus only vestalis has the combination of neat coat, white tip to abdomen with definite yellow patches anterolaterally.

 

[DoghouseRiley]

I notice you do not say where this was taken, if not British then could be something else.

Of the Bombus subgen Psithyrus only vestalis has the combination of neat coat, white tip to abdomen with definite yellow patches anterolaterally.

Brampton Wood, Cambridgeshire (Cambs UK was in the title). Thanks for the additional info. G