A Common Cader Bumblebee pierces an unopened Common Toadflax flower to get to the nectar inside

The male of the species is more skinny and has these extra long antennae (and no pollen collecting brushes on the hind legs). This rare bee is normally very closely associated with purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). On this day I found a few feeding on thyme, although there were some on a patch of purple loosetrife nearby.

Common Carder Bee | Bombus pascuorum | Apidae On Russian Sage | Salvia yangii | Lamiaceae

Explored on 2nd September 2020 #479

Samsung NX1 & Kiron 105mm f/2.8 Macro

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Buff-Tailed Bumblebee Queen | Bombus terrestris | Apidae

Samsung NX1 & Kiron 105mm f/2.8 Macro

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. . . Clap Your Hands

Honey Bee | Apis mellifera | Apidae on Himalayan Balsam | Impatiens glandulifera | Balsaminaceae

Samsung NX1 & Kiron 105mm f/2.8 Macro

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Buff-Tailed Bumblebee Queen | Bombus terrestris | Apidae

Samsung NX1 & Kiron 105mm f/2.8 Macro

Wide Open | Manual Focus | Available Light | Handheld

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2022.

My first sighting of this rare bee.

• European honey bee / western honey bee

• Abeja doméstica / abeja europea / abeja melífera

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Arthropoda

Class:Insecta

Order:Hymenoptera

Family:Apidae

Genus:Apis

Species:A. mellifera

Paso Centurión, Cerro Largo, Uruguay

Honey Bee | Apis mellifera | Apidae on Himalayan Balsam | Impatiens glandulifera | Balsaminaceae

Samsung NX1 & Kiron 105mm f/2.8 Macro

Wide Open | Manual Focus | Available Light | Handheld

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2022.

This is a queen of Bombus lucorum or terrestris (they can't be reliably told apart in photos). An impressive insect, at around 2.5 cm (an inch) long. This is one of the new queens, which are starting to emerge in the late Summer; they will mate and overwinter to start their new colonies in the Spring.

Bumble bees just love globe thistles...

Buff-tailed Bumblebee | Bombus terrestris | Apidae On French Lavender | Lavandula stoechas | Lamiaceae

Samsung NX1 & Helios 44M - 58mm f/2

10mm Macro Tube | f/4 | Manual Focus | Available Light | Handheld

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2021.

The most likely candidate is the rare Nomada sexfasciata. This species is a brood parasite of Eucera, which were visiting the same patch of flowers. My photos did not show all the characteristics to be sure, here, however on the day I did see an individual which was almost certainly a female of this species.

This Bumble Bee was busy going from flower to flower enjoying the sweet summer nectar.

I do not see a pollen basket on its back legs so I believe this is a male.

-Bombus bimaculatus

One of a few species of cuckoo bumble bees we have locally. The queen finds a colony of another species, such as the common carder bee (B. pascuorum). She kills the queen and takes over the workers.

Taking a rest

Apis mellifera or Honey Bee.

Without them we could go hungry. We really need to look after them!

Last year I saw this species for the first time, very briefly. This year I set out to find it in the same spot, but was not successful. It appeared that it only took finding a flowering plant that they really liked. I observed quite a few individuals on purple gromwell, in two different locations. It is a nest parasite of Anthophora digger bees and despite the name it is not at all common.

Common Eastern Bumble Bee — Apidae

Spain; La Mata, Alicante 4/5/23

borinot

Buff-tailed Bumblebee | Bombus terrestris | Apidae

Samsung NX1 & Helios 44M - 58mm f/2

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A member of thr Apidae family of True Bee's and bumbles.

MELISSODES BIMACULATA two spotted longhorn APIDAE

White-Tailed Bumblebee (m) | Bombus lucorum | Apidae on Creeping Thistle | Cirsium arvense | Asteraceae

Samsung NX1 & Helios 44M - 58mm f/2

10mm Macro Tube | f/4 | Manual Focus | Available Light | Handheld

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2020.

• Black bumblebee

• Mangangá negro / abejorro del páramo

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Arthropoda

Class:Insecta

Order:Hymenoptera

Family:Apidae

Genus:Bombus

Possibly Bombus pauloensis Friese, 1913 (= B. atratus)

Taxonomic revision: bit.ly/2lE4Asq

Santa Regina, Colonia, Uruguay

N. striata or hirtipes female. These are very similar and difficult to separate without a microscopic examination (shape of the jaw tip, bristles on the end of the hind tibia and micro hairs on the dorsal side of the antennae ).

Common eastern bumblebee - APIDAE

COMMON EASTERN BUMBLE BEE APIDAE BOMBUS IMPATIENS

Common Eastern Bumble Bee — Apidae

• Black bumblebee

• Mangangá negro / abejorro del páramo

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Arthropoda

Class:Insecta

Order:Hymenoptera

Family:Apidae

Genus:Bombus

Possibly Bombus pauloensis Friese, 1913 (= B. atratus)

Taxonomic revision: bit.ly/2lE4Asq

Santa Regina, Colonia, Uruguay

Spain; La Mata, Alicante 4/5/23

Tree Bumblebee | Bombus hypnorum | Apidae and Dalmatian Bellflower | Campanula portenschlagiana | Campanulaceae

Samsung NX1 & Helios 44-2 - 58mm f/2

16mm Macro Tube | f/3.2 | Manual Focus | Available Light | Handheld

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2020.

A bee flutters around searching among the lavender flowers

MELISSODES BIMACULATA TWO-SPOTTED LONGHORN BEE APIDAE

Buff-Tailed Bumblebee | Bombus terrestris | Apidae on Flowering Currant | Ribes sanguineum 'White Icicle' | Grossulariaceae

Samsung NX1 & Carl Zeiss Jena 'Pancolar' 50mm f/1.8

10mm Macro Tube | Wide Open | Manual Focus | Available Light | Handheld

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2021.

Bombus rupestris is a species of cuckoo bumblebee belonging to the Apidae family and is found almost throughout Europe. Females have a size of 18 - 22 mm, males from 14 - 16 mm. The species needs no workers because it parasitiizes the nests of Bombus lapidarius.

France; Brenne, Lignac 13/5/21. Same individual as previous

Apidae

Eastern carpenter bee extends through the Eastern United States and into Canada. They nest in various types of wood and eat pollen and nectar. In Xylocopa virginica, females are responsible for reproduction, foraging, and nest construction, though they may sometimes have help from their daughters. The eastern carpenter bee is similar to most other bee species in that it does not have a queen

The common name "carpenter bee" derives from their nesting behavior; nearly all species burrow into hard plant material such as dead wood or bamboo.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpenter_bee

• Black bumblebee

• Mangangá negro / abejorro del páramo

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Arthropoda

Class:Insecta

Order:Hymenoptera

Family:Apidae

Genus:Bombus

Bombus pauloensis Friese, 1913 (= B. atratus)

Taxonomic revision: bit.ly/2lE4Asq

Salinas, Canelones, Uruguay