Mating red tail bumblebees

Watching the bees on the lavender plants on the greensward at Frinton-on-sea and the painted lady and torsoise-shell butterflies. Walking back to the beach hut I bent over to pick up what I thought was a dead bumblebee on the grass only to notice that it was actually a mating pair. I ran back to the hut and returned with my camera and found the bees again to get some photos. I was able to lift the bees onto a sketchbook page for a clearer shot and they seemed distracted enough not to care although they briefly flew off and settled again on the grass. I assume the female was the much larger and darker bee and she was sporting a large sting barb and when flying the male hung beneath.