Field Guide to the Bumblebees of Great Britain and Ireland

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View books by Mike Edwards, Martin Jenner.

Excellent little book - Rated
You will find yourself running around the garden chasing bees book in hand. Identificaton is not easy but this book tells you all you need to know about the range of species you are likely to encounter.

A very informative easy to follow guide - Rated
This guide informs you with a litle background on bubmlebees and their life history as well as the cuckoo bumblebee.
It tells you how to distinguish the true bumblebee from the cuckoo bumblebee and males from females.

There is 22 species described in total. 16 true bumblebees and 6 cuckoo bumblebees.
The color pattern cross reference chart together with the comments and then the information on the species specific pages gives you a good chance to make a right identification of the most species. It works well and is very fast after you've learn't it.

Every species has its own page where there are fotos of both the male and female and their different color pattern on thorax and abdomen. Symboles shows you in which habitat it thrive, when they emerged (or can be seen), the head shape and an distribution map. Then you can read more on how it looks, color variations, similar species and how to distinguish them, distribution, where they nest and on which flower they feed.

The color fotos are nice but don't help you much with the identification. I like drawings better. There is no key either but the cross reference table works fine with bumblebees.
In the end there are also how to promote the bumblebee in your garden with plants they like.