Jump to content

A bee or not a bee?


Recommended Posts

Can anyone tell if this guy is a bumblebee, a regular bee, or something else altogether?

The yellow flowers are  Common Tansy  (Tanacetum vulgare), I think.

Thanks.

 

closeup-of-bumblebee-gathering-pollen-on

 

Sony a6000 w/18-55 kit lens and cheapo plastic extension tubes, handheld

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You'd probably need the location and a bumblebee key from someone at your nearest university to narrow it down to species.  Wings and front yellow band behind the head might narrow it down some to quite a bit as the wings are dark and folded together over the back.   If you have other photographs that show the rear of the body, check the key against those, too.

Edited by MizBrown
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Insects including "bees" can be a nightmare to identify sometimes.  There are mimic flies that closely resemble bees - and within bees themselves, you have solitary bees that very closely resemble the social insects because they are nest parasites (called cuckoo bees unsurprisingly) and with those, you sometimes need to be able to see specific body parts to differentiate.  I would echo @MizBrown and recommend finding a specialist or expert.  I know for the UK/Europe there is a facebook group that shares and identifies photos of insects and there may be one for Canada.  I find the group useful as I can use photos that are not quite stock quality (too small,  slightly soft, incorrect focus point), or are simply not the best in a series to get IDs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, MizBrown said:

You'd probably need the location and a bumblebee key from someone at your nearest university to narrow it down to species.  Wings and front yellow band behind the head might narrow it down some to quite a bit as the wings are dark and folded together over the back.   If you have other photographs that show the rear of the body, check the key against those, too.

 

Thanks. I do have a side-view to consult. However, now that it has been deemed a bumblebee, I'll probably just stick with that. It's not like there's a shortage of bumblebee images out there.

Edited by John Mitchell
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Starsphinx said:

Insects including "bees" can be a nightmare to identify sometimes.  There are mimic flies that closely resemble bees - and within bees themselves, you have solitary bees that very closely resemble the social insects because they are nest parasites (called cuckoo bees unsurprisingly) and with those, you sometimes need to be able to see specific body parts to differentiate.  I would echo @MizBrown and recommend finding a specialist or expert.  I know for the UK/Europe there is a facebook group that shares and identifies photos of insects and there may be one for Canada.  I find the group useful as I can use photos that are not quite stock quality (too small,  slightly soft, incorrect focus point), or are simply not the best in a series to get IDs.

 

Right. Nature is full of copycats. I thought this was a bee, but turns out it's a drone fly dressed up as a bee.

 

drone-fly-eristalis-tenax-feeding-on-com

Edited by John Mitchell
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.