The Short-Haired Bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus) was declared extinct in Britain in 2000. Once widespread, the techniques of modern farming decimated its favoured habitat of uncultivated grassland. Now a partnership between the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Hymettus, Natural England and the RSPB is promoting Agri-environment schemes to provide ideal habit for bumblebees in the Dungeness area of Kent. 100 years ago Bombus subterraneus was taken to New Zealand to provide pollination of clover there and they have since thrived. In the spring of 2010 Bombus subterraneus queens from this New Zealand population will be re-introduced to the Dungeness area. Where it is hoped, under the Agri-environment scheme, that farmland seeded with mixed wild flowers and grasses will help the queens to establish a new viable population.
Andrew
(http://beesinart.com/bia_news/files/subterraneus034.jpg)
Bombus subterraneus
Bees-In-Art, well that is just nothing short of very cool. I think that I may have seen this bombus on my property this summer many times. When I looked at the picture you put in the post, it looked like the ones that I have seen. The reason why I noticed these bumblebees was because it looked like half their bum was missing. Their abdomen was very very "short", I can only describe it as half gone bum. Oh well, wish I had taken a picture, I thought they looked so strange, I thought there was something wrong with the species, but I guess not :) :) Have that most awesomely great day, health. Cindi