Busy Bumbly Bee!

Out and about today on a blip hunt, we ended up at a local garden centre. While we really popped in for a couple of scones for an afternoon cuppa, we just had to have a nosey around. I spotted this big fat bee supping nectar from a flower and managed to get a decent close up before he buzzed off. If you enlarge this you will see the poor wee thing has quite ragged wings. How it flies with these, I cannot figure out!
Maybe it is because I have been looking but I seem to have seen more bees this year than last. Are there any apiarist blippers out there who could comment?