The Wildlife of
Druridge Pools

 
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Bumblebees - The Southern Cuckoo Bee

First seen on Sunday 2nd August 2020 at Druridge Pools

A good way of determining which species a bee is, is to look at the colour patterns. This one has a white tail which fades into yellow, then all it is black up to the ginger collar (with a very slight ginger band in the middle, which may make this a male). This pattern suggests it is a Southern Cuckoo Bee. Another way of recognising cuckoo bees is that they tend to have much darker wings that normal bumblebees. Cuckoo bees are bit bit like the cuckoo bird in that they take over a normal bee's nest. This one parasitises the Buff-tailed Bumblebee. I found this one on the dunes at Druridge Bay - it is covered in pollen.