I have created an album "Bombus oddity", with 3 photos so far.  I could upload many more if thought useful (but without broadband, it's difficult).

 

I saw a bumblebee that was clearly different, & took lots of photos (11th June).  There wasn't just the one, and they kept appearing on the raspberry cane flowers for about a week.  Also variations, plus some almost completely black bees that I am sure are connected.

I tried to identify using Ted Benton's ID key, and it failed.  I assumed it was a male BB, but fails regardless of caste.

I then tried to identify by elimination, trawling through all the Bombus descriptions, and accounting for all known variations.  I used the ginger tail colour as a key feature, plus extensive white/pale abdomen & other banding/colour features, and came up with 2 possibilities, neither of which seems to correctly match.  The least best match was B pratorum, the best was B soroeensis.

I have looked at the antenna, and looks to me like segments 3 & 4 are short.

But I would not like to say anything about the hind tarsus.

I have asked for help from 2 contacts, but have no reply so far.  I'm not sure I will get a reply, so am spreading my net wider in the hope of resolving this.

I did not want to catch a specimen at the time in case it was a rarety. And now they are gone!

I would have thought there was enough clear detail to identify, and can upload further photos showing key features if thought useful.

Can anyone help me please?

 

Thanks.

Nigel Gilligan.