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                                                   Wasps, bees, bumbelbees

Wasps belong to the order Hymenoptera. The other insects, which belong to this order, are bees, bumbelbees, ants and Saw Flies (Symphytae). 

There are many species. I hope to expand this page in 2010

 

Saw Flies (Symphyta) They are not flies. Sawflies are closely related to wasps. But they do not have the 'waist' of wasps.  They make no nest and have no social organization. Sawfly larvae feed on leaf. The larvae  look similar to the caterpillars, but they have six or more pair of prolegs. Some larvae look like little slugs.

 

Large Rose Sawfly (Arge pagana)

Large Rose Sawfly (Arge pagana)

Large Rose Sawfly (Arge pagana)

Large Rose Sawfly (Arge pagana) Large Rose Sawfly (Arge pagana)

The left is a Large Rose sawfly. But the other sawfly is an other species. Perhaps an Iris Sawfly.
The Large Rose Sawfly saws a hole in a Rose (plant) and lays eggs

The larvae eat the rose. But usually there is not much damage,  because the larva has many natural enemies. 

In August I saw the larvae of the Large Rose Sawfly (Arge pagana) on the rose.
   the larvae of the Large Rose Sawfly (Arge pagana)   the larvae of the Large Rose Sawfly (Arge pagana)

Iris Sawfly  (Rhadinoceraea micans)   larvae

Iris Sawfly  (Rhadinoceraea micans)

Iris Sawfly  (Rhadinoceraea micans)

Iris Sawfly  (Rhadinoceraea micans)   

Iris Sawfly  (Rhadinoceraea micans)

There are other black similar species. Because they are found in the garden on the Yellow iris and because I had larvae of the iris sawfly,  I think this is the Iris Sawfly. The larvae can grow up to 5 cm long.
In June they move into the ground, spin under the ground a cocoon and pupate.
In May the sawflies appear, which deposit the eggs.

German: Irisblattwespe  French: Tenthrède des iris


Rhogogaster spec  Perhaps  a green sawfly (Rhogogaster viridis)

Rhogogaster spec  Perhaps  a green sawfly (Rhogogaster viridis)

The larvae feed on the leaves of a wide range of plants and trees.  
The sawfly hunt on other insects and their larvae.



Figwort Sawfly (Tenthredo scrophulariae) Figwort Sawfly (Tenthredo scrophulariae) Figwort Sawfly (Tenthredo scrophulariae) Figwort Sawfly (Tenthredo scrophulariae) Figwort Sawfly (Tenthredo scrophulariae) 

Figwort Sawfly (Tenthredo scrophulariae) 
It can be a similar species.

Also this is a sawfly, although it looks like a real wasp. It has the same length (15 mm) of many wasps.  But there is no real waist.
The adult wasp hunts on other small insects. The larva eats plants of the
figwort family.


German: Braunwurzblattwespe

Pamphilius spec.

Pamphilius spec.

Pamphilius spec. Pamphilius spec.  Maybe Pamphilius inanitus

I don't know the species. A beautiful saw fly (Photo 25-5-2009)

But...................

Op het forum "hymis"  I had the next question: I think Pamphilius spec. (25-5-2009 Bergen N.H. Holland) Is Pamphilius cf. marginatus possible?
The answer was: In Holland, P. marginatus is found mostly in Limburg, still very low outside this region. In marginatus yellow face, climb the inner orbit of the eyes and the abdomen is black with yellow spots over the sides.
For these reasons, I believe that this specimen is nearest to P. inanitus a species widespread in the Netherlands.
I must warn you, I'm no expert. Greetings,
José Luis Ruiz de la Cuesta

Thanks José

 

Curled Rose Sawfly  (Allantus cinctus)

Curled Rose Sawfly  (Allantus cinctus) Family sawflies.

The light green larvae feed on the leaves of the strawberry. They can be found at the back of the leaves.
Two generations in a year. (spring and autumn) 
Length 6 - 9 mm.
They hibernate as a pupa in the soil.
It looks like the Allantus cingulatus, but in Allantus cingulatus the jaws in part and the labrum are usually white.
The Dutch name (translated) is strawberry sawfly. The English name shows, the larvae also like the leaves of roses.
Here you can read more about it. 
http://www.sactorose.org/ipm/84rosesawflies.htm

 Curled Rose Sawfly  (Allantus cinctus) German: Rosensägewespe, Gebänderte Rosenblattwespe

Thanks José Luis Ruiz de la Cuesta

 

Dolerus spec.

Dolerus spec.

Dolerus spec. Dolerus spec. Family sawflies. Photo 18-4-2010

There are many similar species. And there are not many specialists, you can consult.
This black and red dolerus looks like a Dolerus Germanicus. But they have brown knees. 
I have read, that Dolerus bajulus and Dolerus aericeps are also similar. This saw flies flew from one grass blade to another and were therefore difficult to photograph.
You often see them in April and May

 Dolerus spec. Dolerus spec. Photos 11-4-2010 Another Dolerus spec.

Honeysuckle Sawfly (Zaraea fasciata)

Honeysuckle Sawfly Clubhorned Sawflies (Cimbicidae) Family sawflies.

A Sawfly with a striking white band and a club-shaped end of the antennas. The larvae live in the honeysuckle.
They winter as a pupae in the ground. Adults appear in April.
In the Netherlands it is quite rare.

Length 11 mm.
Europe, North-West Africa, North and Central Asia.

 Honeysuckle Sawfly (Zaraea fasciata)  Honeysuckle Sawfly (Zaraea fasciata)  Honeysuckle Sawfly (Zaraea fasciata) Photos 25-4-2010  Honeysuckle Sawfly Clubhorned Sawflies (Cimbicidae) Photo 4-6-2010

German: Keulhornblattwespe  French: Tenthrède du chèvrefeuille                                                                                                       

Eutomostethus ephippium 

Eutomostethus ephippium Family sawflies.

A small black with red sawfly.
Length 7 mm.

 Eutomostethus ephippium 

     

Social Wasps (Vespidae) Subfamily Paper Wasps, True Wasps (Vespinae) The other subfamily: the Potter Wasps

The colonies exist one year. Each year the queen starts building a small nest. The nests are constructed of paper. The paper is made of wood. The wasps have made the paper by chewing on wood. The first wasps are the workers. In one year there can be thousands in a colony. At the end of the summer the males and new queens appear. Only the fertilized queens hibernate.
True wasps have their wings folded longitudinally when at rest. The eyes are kidney shaped. 

Common wasp (Vespa vulgaris)

Common wasp (Vespa vulgaris)

Photo 3-4-2010. This is a queen. As you can see the queen more robust. The antennae of the males have 13 segments. The scapus (shaft) is the first segment. The workers have 12. 
In Holland they are also called lemonade wasps, because they can be annoying in  late summer and autumn.  Especially if you drink lemonade.
Queen Length: 16 - 19 mm, length workers 11 - 14 mm, length males 13 - 17 mm.
They look very much like the slightly larger German wasp (Vespula germanica).
The nest will be built underground  in old nests of animals, but also in hollow trees and wall cavities. 
In 2008 we had a nest between the roof and ceiling of the pantry. Until  autumn we had no problem. Only when it was cold, you did see them in the pantry. There they were walking around very slow. The year after they had disappeared. 

Common wasp (Vespa vulgaris) Native to Europe, Asia, Japan en Northern America. Introduced in New Zealand and Australia. 

German: Gemeine Wespe  French: La guêpe commune 

Potter Wasps (Ancistrocerus) Family Social Wasps (Vespidae) 

Ancistrocerus spec. Subfamily Potter Wasps (Ancistrocerus)

Ancistrocerus spec. Subfamily Potter Wasps (Ancistrocerus) Family Social Wasps (Vespidae) 

Characteristic: Black with yellow stripes. A narrow tip. Most males of the potter wasps have back-curved last segments of the antennae. 
There are many similar species. Ancistrocerus parietum, Ancistrocerus gazella, Ancistrocerus quadratus, Ancistrocerus nigricornis, Ancistrocerus oviventris...

The nests can be found in holes in the wood. Like beetle galleries, boreholes. In the cells of the nest are caterpillars as food for larvae. As with masonry bees, they close the cell. 

  Ancistrocerus spec. Subfamily Potter Wasps (Ancistrocerus)   Ancistrocerus spec. Subfamily Potter Wasps (Ancistrocerus)    Ancistrocerus spec. Subfamily Potter Wasps (Ancistrocerus)  Photos 18-4-2010

 

Ichneumon wasps, Ichneumonidae

There are many species in the world. (60.000 species worldwide) Ichneumon wasps are parasitoids of other insects.  Their abdomen is  very elongated and have long antennae (at least 16 segments)
They are solitary.

Netelia spec.  Netelia spec.  Netelia spec.  Netelia spec.

Netelia spec.


Ichneumon wasp
Netelia spec.  

No Netelia testaceus, for the and of the body of this species is black. The other species are difficult to identify.

Furthermore, they can also be confused with ophion species. But the veins of  the wings are different.

 Netelia-5b-13-10-08.jpg (134039 bytes)

Tryphoninae

Ichneumon wasp Perhaps a species of the subfamily Tryphoninae.


Many members of this family are parasites of the sawfly.

Tryphoninae Tryphoninae Tryphoninae  Photos 27-4-09

A small Ichneumon wasp. Subfamily Anomaloninae

A small Ichneumon wasp. Subfamily Anomaloninae

They are Endoparasitoids (koinobiont) of moths, butterflies and beetles. (larvae)
They have a slender abdomen. According to Wikipedia there are 38 genera and they live in dry areas.

On this photo: on a leaf of a Goldenrod.

 A small Ichneumon wasp. Subfamily Anomaloninae Photo 7-6-'09

A male of Pimplinae like Dolichomitus, Liotryphon, Ephialtes,...

Ichneumon wasp.  Pimplinae

A beautiful large Ichneumon wasp. When I photographed this wasp, I thought that is should be possible to determine. Unfortunately it was not possible...... so large, so beautiful and yet no name.

The answer of  Pierre-Nicolas from Belgium was:
A male of Pimplinae like Dolichomitus, Liotryphon, Ephialtes,...

  Pimplinae-Pimpla spec Pimplinae Pimpla spec. Photo 23-5-2010 An other member of the family.

Achaius oratorius 

Ichneumon wasp.  Achaius oratorius 

Difference male, female. The female has a black face. The face of the female is white.

About 15 mm.

Photos: 23-11-09

  Achaius oratorius 

Probably Syrphophilus tricinctorius  Family Diplazontinae

Ichneumon wasp. Probably Syrphophilus tricinctorius  Family Diplazontinae

They are small and mobile. You must be lucky, to get a good photo. I always see them in spring. 

Photos 20-4-2008

  Probably Syrphophilus tricinctorius  Family Diplazontinae Probably Syrphophilus tricinctorius  Family Diplazontinae

Camille Thirion has identified this small wasp. Thanks Camille.

It could be fam. Ichneumnidae, subfam.Cryptinae, and there is a remote possibility that it is some Gelis spec.

Ichneumon wasp. A small antlike wasp.
Although this little insect looks like an ant it is a wasp.

On forum "hymis":
Henrik Gyurkovics thinks: It could be fam. Ichneumnidae, subfam.Cryptinae, and there is a remote possibility that it is some Gelis spec.

Thanks Henrik

Wasp in the genus Gelis are wingless.

 

 

Other wasps

Ruby-tailed wasp, jewel wasp, cuckoo wasp  Family Chrysididae  Maybe Chrysis ignita

Ruby-tailed wasp, jewel wasp, cuckoo wasp  Family Chrysididae  Maybe Chrysis ignita

Ruby-tailed wasps have a beautiful bright metallic colour. In the Netherlands and Belgium are about 60 species. Identification of many species is not easy.
They do possess a stinging organ although there is no venom. (most species)

They have a hard exoskeleton. They need it to protect themselves, when the meet the host. For Ruby-tailed wasps lay their eggs in the nests of other wasps, bees. (cuckoo wasps) The larvae of the ruby-tailed wasps eat the bee or wasp larvae of their host.
They are variable in size.

 Ruby-tailed wasp, jewel wasp, cuckoo wasp  Family Chrysididae  Maybe Chrysis ignita
German: Goldwaspe - Gemeine Goldwespe, Feuer-Goldwespe (Chrysis ignita) 

 

Family: Digger Wasps (Sphecidae)
Digger wasps are solitary wasps. They dig nests (tunnels) in sandy soil. There are several families called diggar wasps.

Ectemnius cavifrons

Ectemnius cavifrons subfamily: Ectemnius Family: Digger Wasps (Sphecidae)   male

Females make their nest in decayed wood and they mainly supply it with hoverflies (Syrphidae). They are solitary wasps, but they sometimes have the same entrance to their nests. In our garden they have nests in the trunk of a dead apple tree. Ectemnius cavifrons resembles Ectemnius cephalotes.
Species of the Ectemnius family don't dig in sand.
Length 14 mm.
June - October.

Indification by Toshko: A male of Ectemnius cavifrons (Thomson). The shape of lower surface of first flagellar segment, coloration of clypeal hairs and shape of inner mandibular edge and fore and mid tarsal segments are diagnostic features for this species.
Thanks Toshko

    Ectemnius cavifrons  Ectemnius cavifrons

 

Bees (Apidae), superfamily Apoidea, order Hymenoptera. 

When I think of bees, I always think of social honey bees and beekeepers. But there are also many solitary species. They all feed on ( also the larvae) nectar and polllen. Bumble bees are close relatives of  the honey bees.

 

European honey bee, western honey bee (Apis mellifica)

European honey bee, western honey bee (Apis mellifica)

European honey bee, western honey bee (Apis mellifica)   

European honey bee, western honey bee (Apis mellifica)


European honey bee, western honey bee (Apis mellifica)

The honey bee is a social bee, originally from South Asia. In Europe it is found in wild and it is maintained by beekeepers.
The queen leaves her nest for the mating flight. The males you see especially in summer. Furthermore, there are of course the workers.
The bees survive winter as a colony. A difference with the bumblebees.
The bee is easily recognized by their elongated radial cell near the front wingtip.

 European honey bee, western honey bee (Apis mellifica)  Bees collect pollen in the pollen basket.

German: Westliche Honigbiene, Europäische Honigbiene. French: L'abeille européenne, l’avette, la mouche à miel

 

Leafcutter bee spec. (Megachile spec.)  Family Megachilinae

Leafcutter bee spec. (Megachile spec.)  Family Megachilinae

A solitary bee. The species are often difficult to identify from a photo.

Leaf cutting bees cut circular pieces of leaves to construct their nest. The nests are created in small holes in the ground, but also in for example hollow plant stems. The nests contain several cells. In each cell the bee with pollen and nectar the bee lays one egg.

On the photo you can see the yellow hairs on the underside of the abdomen. (a kind of hairy brush) On these hairs they carry pollen. 

May - August.

     Leafcutter bee spec. (Megachile spec.)  Family Megachilinae   Leafcutter bee spec. (Megachile spec.)  Family Megachilinae

German: Mörtel- und Blattschneiderbienen  

Red mason bee (Osmia rufa)  Genus Osima  Family Megachilinae

Red mason bee (Osmia rufa)  Genus Osima  Family Megachilinae

The female has a black head with 2 blunted horns. The body has reddish brown hair. The end of the abdomen is black. The underside of the abdomen has a kind orange yellow hairy brush.
The males have a yellow light facial hair.
They nest in holes in dead wood. You can also buy or make houses. For example with hollow bamboo stems (0.5 to 0.8 cm)
Brood cells are closed by clay. In the cell with an egg cell there also are pollen and honey as food.

Length female 10-12 mm, male 9 to 10 mm.
March - June.

German: Rote Mauerbiene

Red mason bee (Osmia rufa) Red mason bee (Osmia rufa) On these photos you can see better the black end of the abdomen. (Flower: white squill (Scilla mischtschenkoana)

 

Wasp bee, Nomada spec. Family Nomadinae

Wasp bee, Nomada spec. Family Nomadinae  

A cuckoo bee. In the Netherlands, there are 43 species. I don't know the species. It looks like a wasp.

Like a cuckoo, they lay their eggs in nests of other bee species. Often of mining bees. The nomada larvae kill the larvae of the host, when they grow up.
Like other bees the nomada feeds on nectar and pollen. But it lacks a pollen-carrying scopa.
(Modifications on the body of a non-parasitic bee for carrying pollen.) Parasitic bees don't need to transport pollen.

April - August.
    

 Wasp bee, Nomada spec. Family Nomadinae   Wasp bee, Nomada spec. Family Nomadinae Wasp bee, Nomada spec. Family Nomadinae Wasp bee, Nomada spec. (Nomada spec.) 18-4-2010

Nomada sheppardana Nomada sheppardana Smalbandwespbij (Nomada goodeniana)  Smalbandwespbij (Nomada goodeniana) Smalbandwespbij (Nomada goodeniana)

 

Lasioglossum calceatum or Lasioglossum albipes  Family Halicidae Lasioglossum calceatum or Lasioglossum albipes  Family Halicidae Lasioglossum calceatum or Lasioglossum albipes  Family Halicidae Lasioglossum calceatum or Lasioglossum albipes  Family Halicidae

Lasioglossum calceatum or Lasioglossum albipes  Family Halicidae


Lasioglossum calceatum or Lasioglossum albipes  Family Halicidae   male

These two species are very similar. The females have a sweet fragrance.

It's a social bee. The female hibernates. In spring it makes a nest in the ground. First the workers appear and then the males and females.

Lasioglossum calceatum Length females 8 - 9 mm, length males 8 - 10 mm.
Lasioglossum albipes Length females 8 - 9 mm, length males 8 - 10 mm.

April - October.

 

Andrena spec.  Family Andrenidae

Andrena spec.  Family Mining Bees (Andrenidae)


A solitary bee. Unfortunately not to identify.

Somme species make nests in the ground vertically, other species horizontally. There are also differences in size and flight among the species. There are 72 species in the Netherlands.

Tawny Mining Bee (Andrena fulva)  Family Andrenidae   Female

Tawny Mining Bee (Andrena fulva)  Family Andrenidae   Female

Tawny Mining Bee (Andrena fulva)  Family Andrenidae   Female

Tawny Mining Bee (Andrena fulva)  Family Andrenidae   Female


Tawny Mining Bee (Andrena fulva)  Family Mining Bees (Andrenidae)   Female

It looks a bit like a bumblebee with his long foxy red brown hairs. The legs are black.
You can often find them (also in our garden) on currants, gooseberries and other Ribes species. 
Solitary. The females make the nest in sandy soil. Sometimes in the garden. Small sand heaps with entrance hole in the middle. Diameter: 9 mm. Depth: 20 - 40 mm. The branched hole has oval cells. In each cell are pollen, nectar and one egg.  
Sometimes there are many nests together. But every bee has its own nest.

Length female 12-14 mm, length male 9 - 11 mm.
March - May.

German: Rotpelzige Sandbiene 

Roodgatje (Andrena haemorrhoa) Roodgatje (Andrena haemorrhoa)
Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa) Family Mining Bees (Andrenidae)

Solitairy. But they often fly in small groups. 
The thorax is foxy red brown on top, the abdomen is black and without many hairs.

Length 9 - 10 mm.
April - June.
German: Rotschopfige Erdbiene

Andrena carantonica, female.  Other names: Andrena scotica, Andrena sabulosa.

Andrena carantonica, female.  Other names: Andrena scotica, Andrena sabulosa.

Andrena carantonica, female.  Other names: Andrena scotica, Andrena sabulosa.

Andrena carantonica, female.  Other names: Andrena scotica, Andrena sabulosa.


Andrena carantonica, female.  Other names: Andrena scotica, Andrena sabulosa.
Photo 17-4-2010 

The Andrena carantonica resembles a honeybee. Also regarding the size. Yellow brown hairs. There are not much hairs on the abdomen.. The legs are densely hairy.
They are not only on hawthorn bushes. Here is an andrena on a gooseberry bush. Hawthorn Andrena often construct the entrance to a nest together. But the females have their own separate chamber. The nests can also be found under the tiles

Length females 13, 14 mm, length males 10 - 13 mm.
Females: April - June Males: end April - Mai. 

 

 

 

Bumblebees

Big hairy bees of the genus Bombus. They live in colonies. Only the queen hibernates and starts a new colony next year. The nest is sometimes underground, but can also be built between clumps of grass.
The larvae feed on pollen and nectar. The pollen are collected in the pollen basket or corbicula on the hind  legs. 
The males  have long antennae. Besides the queen and males there are also workers. (Not so many as in the colonies of honey bees)

I haven't described al possible colours. On this site you can get much more information:  http://www.nhm.ac.uk/

Large Earth Bumblebee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Large Earth Bumblebee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)


Collar and second segment of the abdomen are orange or golden yellow. Point abdomen is white.
 
Queen Length 20 to 22 mm, worker 11-17 mm length and length male 14-16 mm.

Nest in the ground. It may be more than one meters below the ground.
The large earth bumblebees are among the first bumble bees to appear in spring. Queens: late February, early March.

German: Dunkle Erdhummel  French: Bourdon terrestre

Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)

Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) Photo 2-4-2010 queen.

The Garden Bumblebee is rather similar to the Large Earth Bumblebee. The main difference is the band behind with yellow hairs. The band is as well on the abdomen as on the back of the thorax. Divided in two bands.  
Garden bumblebees have the longest tongue. It can forage on flowers that have deep corollas like the mint family and the legume family, pea family.

Nest on the ground or undergrounds. For example in mice nests and bird nests. About up tot 100 bumblebees.
Length queen 18-26 mm, length workers 11-16 mm, length male 13-15 mm.
Flight: March - September

Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) male Photo 14-6-09. A male

German: Gartenhummel French: Le Bourbon des jardins

Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)

Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)


The Red-tailed bumblebee is almost as large as the Large Earth Bumblebee.
It is mainly black with a  red tail. Males, workers and queen have a similar colour pattern.

In the colony are about 100 to 200 bumblebees. The nest is either underground (eg old mice nests) and overground (eg birdhouses) found.

German: Steinhummel French: Bourdon des pierres

 Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)  Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) Photos 21-3-2010. Queen

White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)

White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)

Pale yellow collar and second abdominable segment. Black first abdominal segment and scutellum.  Black hairs often have white tips. (as on this photo)
Queen Length 19 - 22 mm, length male 13 - 16 mm.
Flight: March to October. Like the Large Earth Bumblebee it is an early bumblebee.
Nest in the ground.

  White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)

German: Hellen / helle Erdhummel 

Common Carder Bee  (Bombus pascuorum)

Common Carder Bee  (Bombus pascuorum)

The thorax is orange brown. The abdomen is black with a orange brown dot.
On this photo the end of the abdomen is not visible. When it has a white-ended abdomen, it is the tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)

Queen: Length 15 - 18 mm, length male 12 - 14 mm, length worker 9 - 15 mm.

Flight: April to October.
Nest on or in the ground. Also in bird nests.

  Common Carder Bee  (Bombus pascuorum)   Common Carder Bee  (Bombus pascuorum) Photos 9-4-2010. Common Carder Bee, queen

German: Ackerhummel  French: Bourdon des champs

 

New garden bumblebee, tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)

New garden bumblebee, tree bumblebee ( Bombus hypnorum)

The thorax is orange brown. The abdomen is black with a white dot.
Length queen 18 to 22 mm, length male 14 to 16 mm, length daily 8 to 18 mm.
Flight: April to August. (Queens February to late April, workers in April to mid-August, young queens and males in May to late August)
Nest above the ground. In many holes, in bird nests in nest boxes. 80-400 workers.

Most of Europe and parts of Eastern Asia.

 New garden bumblebee, tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)  New garden bumblebee, tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) Photos 30-4-2010. Only the left picture is sharp. It was moving constantly.

German: Baumhummel  French: Bourdon des arbres

Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)

Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)

A small bumblebee.
Collar yellow. The tail is orange red. The yellow bar in the middle of the abdomen can be absent or reduced to a few hairs.
It has a short tongue.
Flying time: March to October. Not as early as the Large Earth Bumblebee.
Queen Length 15 - 17 mm, length male 11 - 13 mm.

The nest can be in the ground and above the ground. It also can be found. in mice nests, birdhouses and bird nests

 Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)  Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)

German: Wiesenhummel:  

Bombus bohemicus (Probably, I am not quite sure)

Cuckoo Bumblebees belong to the sub genus Psithyrus. The females lay their eggs in a bumblebee nest. She kills host eggs, larvae and oft the queen. The cuckoo bumblebee larvae develop into pupae and adults in the nest. So they are parasitic bumblebees. They lack the pollen baskets on the legs

Bombus bohemicus (Probably, I am not quite sure)

Similar species are  Bombus vestalis and  Bombus norvegicus.
A yellow collar. Point abdomen is white.
A parasite of  the White-tailed bumblebee
(Bombus lucorum) But also of other bumblebee species.
March - September 
Length female 14 - 20 mm, male 12 - 18 mm

 Bombus bohemicus (Probably, I am not quite sure)  Bombus bohemicus (Probably, I am not quite sure) Photos 14-4-2010,  female      German: Angebundene Kuckuckshummel

Vestal cuckoo bee (Bombus vestalis)

Another Cuckoo Bumblebee

Vestal cuckoo bee (Bombus vestalis)  (I am not quite sure)

A black bumblebee with a brown yellow collar. The last segments have white hairs, often with some yellow hairs.

A parasite of Bombus terresttris.
Length female 20 - 24 mm, length male 15 - 19 mm. Of course there are no workers.
March - September

German: Keusche Kuckuckshummel

 Vestal cuckoo bee (Bombus vestalis)  Vestal cuckoo bee (Bombus vestalis)  Vestal cuckoo bee (Bombus vestalis) Photos 17-4-2010.  Female

 

A beautiful site with much information:   The Garden Safari 
Vliegen en Muggen van J.A. van Erkelens  A new site about flies with many beautiful photos of Joke van Erkelens.
Informatie about flies: 
http://www.diptera.info/news.php
Informatie about wasps and bees:  http://www.forum.hymis.de    Another site with information:  http://www.bwars.com/Gallery.htm

I want to thank everyone, who has helped me on waarneming.nl and forum.hymis.de to identify. 

 Nederlands / Dutch                                                                                     

 

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spring'07 autumn euphorbia damsel/dragonflies  flies hoverflies/2   England links  

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Subpage flies:    Tachinidae     Blow-flies (Calliphoridae)    House flies (Muscidae)   Soldierflies (Stratiomyidae)

 

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