Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris and Hawthorn flower
http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/identification/common-bumblebees/
Wordless Wednesday – Buff-tailed Bumblebee Busy on Hawthorn
Gardening Jules
Birds, Bees, Flowers, Trees – Organic & Wildlife Friendly Gardening
Gardening Jules 
A smart bumble!
The sun had warmed this one up early this morning, although laden with pollen it was really noisy.
Great capture. The bee is obviously enjoying the hawthorn.
That bee was not the only one, despite the strong winds and rain last week, the Hawthorn flowers are wonderful so far. Our forecast is cold and rain though!
Beautiful photo!
Thanks Tina, its been all work and no play this week with not much opportunity to take photographs, except for a trip to a Rugby match on Saturday, my only other photo for wordless wednesday was of a streaker being wrestled by stewards, funny but not appropriate for my blog!
You know your bumble bees. I have only recently learnt that there are so many different sorts.
Thankfully, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust has a great easy to understand identification chart for the most common Bumblebees. There were two very similar – the White-tailed and the Buff-tailed but on magnifying my photo I could see the thin buff line after the abdomen.
Such a lovely photo – we don’t have bumblebees in Australia, so it’s always nice to see pictures of them hard at work
Thanks Matt, this one was laden with pollen, she was very noisy too, intent on her work.
We can cast a clout now the May is out. Along with the bees we can enjoy its perfume knowing the soil temperature has warmed up and spring is in its full flush.
I hope so Brian, although we’ve had a change in weather this morning a 10 degree drop and chilly, hoping thats just a blip!
What a pretty little bee–and attentive to that hawthorne. Attended an Audubon Society meeting last week on planting for pollinators and learned there are something like 600 species of bees in my state, North Carolina.
Susie, thats a lot, I have just doubled checked and in the UK we have 225 solitary bees, one honey bee and 24 species of Bumblebees, so 250 total, less than half for your one state. But I guess Bees do not have boundaries and we are an Island. I’d like to learn much more about them too.
GREAT photo! Love the detail on the bumble.
She seemed oblivious to me and my camera up so close, just intent on her business.
As she should be!
Beautiful photograph Julie, and thanks for the links. I belong to the Woodland Trust but have always had trouble with Bumblebee ID and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust chart is so clear. Our Hawthorn isn’t out yet though I have noticed a few patches of it in sheltered sunny spots on my way to Norwich.
That chart is very helpful and the other pages on their website are really interesting too, worth having a look at. I really like the Woodland Trust site too, lots of helpful identification tips. The forecast is rain and more rain next week, maybe a little longer to wait for your Hawthorn!
I am a little fed up with this cold weather and I’m not looking forward to all the rain either!
Me neither Clare!
How could anyone not love a bumble bee! SO cute.
Identifying them is the bit that gets me, we only have 24 species of Bumblebee but its still tricky!
If they would just stay still ….
He’s so cute. He looks like he’s wearing a fuzzy little jacket. :o)
I loved the pollen baskets too, a shopping trip of the best sort! 🙂
Your picture has me excited for my mock orange to bloom this week!
They have such a wonderful fragrance Robbie, hope the blooms are plentiful. 🙂