Buff-tailed Bumblebee

The Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is one of 26 species of bees and wasps that have been recorded in Charlton Down Nature Area so far, and that is probably the tip of the iceberg, as they say, because there are very many species of Hymenoptera. Most bees and wasps are relatively small, or quick, and very tricky to identify without capturing them first to examine and photograph before releasing. There are 25 species of Bumblebee in the UK. The bumblebees are larger than most other types of bees and wasps so there is a better chance of getting an accurate identification. It is still a problem to accurately distinguish between the Buff-tailed and the White-tailed Bumblebees. All the identifications here are tentative and subject to revision should an expert decide there has been an error.

A few links and references that might help with identification of bumblebees:

The Field Studies Council fold-out guide Guide to bees of Britain

Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland, Steven Falk, illustrated by Richard Lewington, Bloomsbury Wildlife Guides, 2015, ISBN 978-1-4729-6705-3

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/how-identify-bumblebees

https://bna-naturalists.org/id-guide-bumble-bees/