Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)

OTHER NAMES: Common Carder Bumblebee

Latin Etymology: Bombus ("buzz") pascuorum ("of the pasture")

Adult Common Carder Bee (subspecies B. p. flavidus) at Geddington, Northants - August 2011

Featured Subspecies: Bombus pascuorum flavidus
Length: 13mm (worker) 15-18mm (queen)
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

The common carder bee is a widespread species of bumblebee found in Europe.    They feed on a wide selection of plants including clovers, thistles, nettles, fruit trees and various others.  They live colonially in nests which rise up to 60-150 bees, which die back after each year, leaving only the newly hatched females to survive to the next year.

Related Species:
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Bombus
SUBSPECIES: B. p. flavidus, B. p. floralis, B. p. septentrionalis, B. p. vulgo

 - Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident seen in Summer.

 - Seen at Geddington

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Violet Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa violacea)

OTHER NAMES: European Carpenter Bee, Carpenter Bee

Latin Etymology: Xylocopa ("Woodcutter") violacea ("violet")

Adult Violet Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa violacea) at El Pardo, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Length: 25mm  /  Wingspan: 65mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

The violet carpenter bee is one of the largest bee species of Europe - dwarfing the species found regularly in the UK.  It is named for it's big iridescant wings which make it a very distinctive species.  A common resident in Spain, it is also beginning to become established in the UK.  The carpenter bee family is also notable for having the largest eggs of any insect, although the violet carpenter bee is not the largest.

Related Species:
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Xylocopa
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Abejorro Carpintero Europeo ("European Carpenter Bumblebee")

Common to locally abundant resident

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Common at Patones

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Fairly common throughout, particularly noted at El Pardo

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)

OTHER NAMES: New Garden Bumblebee
Latin Etymology: Bombus ("buzzing") hypnorum (?)

Adult Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) at Geddington, Northants - June 2018

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 11mm  /  Wingspan: ?
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

The Tree Bumblebee is a widely ranging species found across continental Eurasia, that is currently expanding it's range - it was first sighted in the UK in 2001, and has now spread across the country and is a fairly common species.  What's more, it's range is increasing still, also establishing itself in Iceland.  They often nest near human settlements, as buildings provide the kind of nesting cavities they like.

Related Species:
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Bombus
SUBSPECIES: unclear

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A resident currently expanding it's range.

 - Seen in Geddington

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)

OTHER NAMES: Small Garden Bumblebee
Latin Etymology: Bombus ("buzzing") hortorum ("garden")

Adult Garden Bumblebee (subspecies B. h. hortorum) at Geddington, Northants - April 2018

Featured Subspecies: Bombus hortorum hortorum
Weight: ?  /  Length: 19-22mm
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A common and widespread species of bumblebee found across the UK, it is identified by it's white tail, long face and yellow section that crosses from abdomen to thorax.  This is very similar to Bombus ruderatus, the Large Garden Bumblebee, and are apparently very difficult to separate in the field, but as this is the commoner species of the two, I have gone with this for now.  It is globally widely spread, covering Europe into Asia, with introduced populations in Florida and New Zealand. 

Related Species:
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Bombus
SUBSPECIES: B. h. hortorum, B. h. ivernicus, others?

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident.

 - Seen at Geddington.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

OTHER NAMES: European Honey Bee

Latin Etymology: Apis ("bee") mellifera ("honey")

Adult Western Honey Bee (subspecies A. m. mellifera) at Geddington Chase, Northants - June 2011

Featured Subspecies: Apis mellifera mellifera
Length: 10-15mm  /  Wingspan: 18mm
NOT EVALUATED IN UK / IUCN Red List: Data Deficient

The Honey Bee is probably one of the most widely known species of insect in the Europe, and just about the only one that is raised on any major commercial scale thanks to it's honey and wax.  A highly colonial species, they have suffered badly in recent years and are in steep decline - much of which is attributed to pesticides and parasites.  They are nonetheless still common visitors to gardens, in mine they seem to particularly favour lavender.

Related Species:
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Apis
Subspecies: A. m. mellifera, A. m. arteisisa, A. m. carnica, A. m. cecropia, A. m. iberiensis, A. m. ligustica, A. m. macedonica, A. m. madaros, A. m. madaros, A. m. rutterneri, A. m. siciliana, A. m. siciliana, A. m. sossimai, A. m. adami, A. m. anataloiaca, A. m. caucasia, A. m. cyperia, A. m. meda, remipes, A.m syriaca, A. m. adansonii, A. m. capensis, A. m. intermissa, A. m. jemeniticia, A. m. lamarckii, A. m. litorea, A. m. monticola, A. m. sahariensis, A. m. scutellata, A. m. unicolor

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen in Geddington and numerous other locations

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

OTHER NAMES: Large Earth Bumblebee

Latin Etymology: Bombus ("buzz") terrestris ("of the earth")

Adult Buff-tailed Bumblebee (subspecies B. t. audax) at Geddington Chase, Northants - June 2011

Featured Subspecies: Bombus terrestris audax
Length: 20-22mm  /  Wingspan: 22-34mm
NOT EVALUATED IN UK / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

The Buff-tailed Bumble-bee is one of the most common species of Bee in the UK - and thus probably one of the most widely seen insects.  It can be identified from similar insects by the exact combination of colour rings, taking particular note in this case of the yellow that fringes the white tip of the tail.  In my garden this species seems to mostly prefer lavender and buddleiah

Related Species:
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Bombus
Subspecies: B. t. africanus, B. t. audax, B. t. calabricus, B. t. canariensis, B. t. dalmatinus, B. t. lusitanicus, B. t. sassaricus, B. t. terrestris, B. t. xanthopus

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen in Geddington and numerous other locations

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)

OTHER NAMES: Stone Bumble Bee

Latin Etymology: Bombus ("buzz") lapidarius ("of the crags")

Adult Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) at Geddington Chase, Northants - July 2010

Featured Subspecies: ?
Length: 11-22mm  /  Wingspan: 18mm
NOT EVALUATED IN UK / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated

One of the most common species of Bumblebee in both Britain and Europe, it is fairly distinctive although there are a few similar species in its range.  They nest in rocks and walls, and their preferred flower plants are clover and deadnettle, but thistle, buddleia and lavender also seem to be common plants to find them on.

Related Species:
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Bombus
Subspecies: Unknown

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen in Geddington and numerous other locations

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Bombus ("buzzing") lucorum ("clean")

Adult White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum) at Geddington, Northants - June 2019

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: 0.46-0.7g  /  Length: 11-20mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

The White-tailed Bumblebee is a widely distributed species which is found from Spring through to Autumn.  They are identifiable by the clean white rump, and the broad yellow bands found on some individuals.  Unfortunately, it is believed to be declining.

Related Species:
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Bombus
SUBSPECIES: ?

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A fairly widespread resident.

 - Seen in Geddington

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Gooden's Nomad Bee (Nomada goodeniana)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Nomada ("wandering") goodeniana ("Gooden's)

Adult female Gooden's Nomad Bee (Nomada goodeniana) at Geddington, Northants - June 2019

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: ?  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

Another species of Cuckoo-Bee, this time a little more easily identifiable than my previous example of the genus.  This species is also a brood parasite of Mining Bees, and therefore it's population is tied to theirs.  The species Nomada rufipes is apparently a possible confusion species with this one, but can be apparently firmly identified because the second yellow band on the abdomen is unbroken.

Related Species: 
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Nomada
SUBSPECIES: ?

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A fairly common resident of the Southern half of the UK

 - Seen at Geddington.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Flavous Nomad Bee (Nomada flava)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Nomada ("wandering") flava ("yellow")

Adult Flavous Nomad Bee (Nomada flava) at Geddington, Northants - May 2011

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 12mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

Although at initial inspection, the species of the genus Nomada may resemble wasps, they are in fact Cuckoo Bees.  They are kleptoparasites - laying their eggs in the nests of other species, in this case specifically mining bees of the genus andrena.  The offspring then emerge in April to repeat the cycle.  The species Nomada panzeri can resemble this one somehow, and needs microscope analysis to separate, but on balance this species seemed more probable.

Related Species:
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Genus: Nomada
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A fairly common resident of the Southern hald of the UK

 - Seen at Geddington.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .