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.

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.

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.

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

Wide Open | Manual Focus | Available Light | Handheld

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2020.

. . . Clap Your Hands

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 2021.

My first sighting of this rare bee.

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.

• 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

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, though.

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.

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.

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

Taking a rest

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.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee | Bombus terrestris | Apidae

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

16mm Macro Tube | f/4 | Manual Focus | Available Light | Handheld

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2022.

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.

Apis mellifera or Honey Bee.

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

borinot

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

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

MELISSODES BIMACULATA two spotted longhorn APIDAE

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 ).

A tiny pale Carder Bee | Bombus sp. | Apidae on Ice Plant | Hylotelephium spectabile | Crassulaceae

Samsung NX1 & Steinheil Munchen 'Cassar S' - 50mm f/2.8

16mm Macro Tube | 12 Aperture Blades | f/4 | Manual Focus | Available Light | Handheld

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2020.

Common eastern bumblebee - APIDAE

Spain; La Mata, Alicante 4/5/23

• 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

Salinas, Canelones, Uruguay

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.

• 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

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.

Buff-Tailed Bumblebee Queen | Bombus terrestris | Apidae

Samsung NX1 & Super-Takumar - 50mm f/1.4

10mm Macro Tube | 8 Elements | f/3.2 | Manual Focus | Available Light | Handheld

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2021.

A nice start to the 2023 insect season, with a number of typical spring species, like this one.

• 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

This Bumble Bee was enjoying the morning having some nectar on wildflowers.

As I do not know much about bees other than they make honey, I did some reading. One interesting fact was Bumble Bees are one of the few insects that can control their body temperature.

They can shiver their flight muscles in cold weather to warm themselves. Their large size and hairy coats also help them stay warm.

Also bumble bees only make a small amount of honey which they eat themselves

-Bombus bimaculatus

Early Bumblebee | Bombus pratorum | Apidae

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

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

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2020.

Buff-Tailed Bumblebee | Bombus terrestris | Apidae pollinating Cherry Plum | Prunus sp. | Rosaceae

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

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

All Rights Reserved. © Nick Cowling 2021.

• 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

• 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

Salinas, Canelones, Uruguay

Chiang Dao NS, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Order : Hymenoptera

Family : Apidae

Genus : Xylocopa

Species : Xylocopa latipes

A veritable giant that can reach up to 35mm in length.

I have recently uploaded a new set of Thailand pics on my website. Mostly butterflies but a couple of other things as well. Please have a look - bugs-alive.blogspot.com

All my insect pics are one shot, hand-held macros of live insects in the wild.

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