Watching a bunch of bumbles today...

[Scut Farkas]

more than a hundred working a ton of cherry blossoms in multiple trees. I assume they were bumbles - they were huge, black with yellow/gold fuzz on the uppper body.

Anywho - their behavior was interesting. 2 were hovering near me about 3.5 feet up, well away from the blossoms, one about 4 inches above and 1 inch behind the other. The one that was behind suddenly rushed in and grabbed the other one from the back and flew off with her at a high speed. Was this mating or something? Territory defending?

Saw others hovierng just below the top of a hedge. They would pop up and zoom at other bees agressively. Not sure what that was about, but reminded me of men fighting from foxholes. 90% of the bee's were quietly and happily working the blooms, but the others were actually more entertaining.

I know nothing of Bumbles - anyone with some knowlege and experience care to comment?

[dcross]

It sorta sounds like the behavior of male carpenter bees to me.