Big black bumblebee? Carpenter bee?

monkeynuz

Evening folks, I have just seen a bloomin' great big bee on one of our shrubs probably the size of a thimble, all black body wit a tiny bit of white or yellow on the head, any ideas?

axe2grind

No bumblebee matches your description though its possible that the end of the tail which is not black may have been hidden from view?

monkeynuz

I understand what you are saying, but the bee was on the top of the shrub and I was on the terrace above it and it was definitely big and black and glossy, I must admit from a distance I first thought it was an enormous bluebottle but on closer inspection it was just like a black bumblebee, most confusing I have never seen anything like it.

Cork boy 55

Volucella bombylans
hover fly, bumblebee mimic , maybe




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volucella_bombylans

monkeynuz

Managed to get some pics today

monkeynuz

Ugly little blighter

axe2grind

Black with orange base to wings, feet and face = Mesembrina meridiana
aka Noon Fly

Actually Splish has named it. See below

monkeynuz

Thanks axe

splish

I'm no expert on flies but from the pictures and description of a bumblebee sized fly I would say it is Tachina grossa a tachinid fly.

gctest50

he might have a guest appearance in this :


http://fsj.field-studies-council.org/media/1132929/insects-of-the-british-cow-dung-community.pdf

Bonedigger

splish wrote: »

I'm no expert on flies but from the pictures and description of a bumblebee sized fly I would say it is Tachina grossa a tachinid fly.

Yeah,I think you're bang on the money there splish.

axe2grind

splish wrote: »

I'm no expert on flies but from the pictures and description of a bumblebee sized fly I would say it is Tachina grossa a tachinid fly.

Bonedigger wrote: »

Yeah,I think you're bang on the money there splish.

yes, also agree with this will edit previous post