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24 July 2010
Bombus hypnorum, back in the Garden
Further to my first sighting of Bombus hypnorum in the garden on Thursday and the request for info on the plant that it was feeding from; I was taking a few photo's of the plant when a B. hypnorum came back. The size of the bee suggests a worker to me? Feel free to identify the plant.
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5 comments:
Looks like a Ligularia to me. Not sure which one though.
Paul
Yep, thanks Paul. With the help of RHS encyclopedia and a some photos online Ligularia stenocephala is a pretty good match.
It may be more likely that this is a male and not a worker. According to BWARS there is a massive annual emergence of males from around the end of May and lasts for about 6 weeks. Males are simularly marked to Queens and Workers but have yellow hairs mixed in with the black on their face. The flying period runs through to the end of August.
Thanks Mark, that's an impressive-looking plant. As for sexing the bee, if it sits still long enough to be photographed, it's probably a typically lazy male.
More likely L. dentata 'Desdemona', having thought about it.
Nice bee too!
Paul
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