Black Bumblebee

I tried to get a photo but it shot off before I could. It was entirely black except for little yellow pollen sacks on its legs.

Has anyone seen something similar - I can't find it in any of my books?

 

Thank you for that post! I've been wondering what the MASSIVE bees in our garden are, and now I know they're probably buff tailed bumblebee queens.

If one stays still long enough, I'll find out for sure.

 

Brilliant woo, thanks for that. From the pictures I think it might have been a Ruderal Bumblebee - a bit of a rarity it says.

 

I think Sis had a black one in her garden a year or two ago and am not sure if it was ever ID'd.

She must have missed this thread so I'll tell her to look.

Thanks for that link, Woo.

 

Hi Sis ... what I have is the Carpenter Bees ... all over the place at the moment and making a nuisance of themselves eating into the beams in the shed roof ...





They are absolutely monsterous in size here and quite irridesecent .. not sure if it's the same bee ...