Buff tailed Bumble Bee

Description:

Large bumble bee, about an inch or more long, fat black fluffy appearance, one dark yellow stripe on the thorax, lighter yellow stripe on the abdomen and whitish at the tail. Wings are clear, legs seem to have yellow stripes at the joints also. Face, eyes, antennae are black. Very mild mannered bees.

Habitat:

Seen in rural garden

Notes:

With major decline of honey bee around Nz, the bumble bee is on the rise, in a garden which years ago was buzzing with honey bees, thousands and thousands of them.. there is not one this year. But instead we have the bumbles, which are not so many, but more than ever seen before.