Bombus occidentalis male - Bombus occidentalis

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Apoidea (clade Anthophila) - Bees » Cuckoo, Carpenter, Digger, Bumble, and Honey Bees (Apidae) » Honey, Bumble, Longhorn, Orchid, and Digger Bees (Apinae) » Bumble Bees (Bombini) » Bumble Bees (Bombus) » Subgenus Bombus (Bombus Subgenus Bombus ) » Western Bumble Bee (Bombus occidentalis)

Photo#564822

Copyright © 2011 Elizabeth Hedrick-Collins

Bombus occidentalis male - Bombus occidentalis -

Idaho Springs, Clear Creek County, Colorado, USA
August 14, 2011
Size: ~1.25 inches

Having trouble IDing this bombus. Diane Wilson and I think it might be Bombus borealis. It was rather large and evasive, so the pictures aren't as good as I'd like. The dark area near the first abdominal segment looks like it was just the space between the abdomen and the thorax, or a trick of the light. It didn't show up otherwise.
If it's not B. borealis, perhaps just B. apositus?
On white sweet clover, mid-afternoon. 7,5240 ft elev.

Images of this individual: tag all

Bombus occidentalis male - Bombus occidentalis - male

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Contributed by Elizabeth Hedrick-Collins on 18 August, 2011 - 3:01pm
Last updated 21 July, 2021 - 10:48am

Moved

Moved from Bumble Bees.

… John S. Ascher, 12 February, 2014 - 7:35am

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Elizabeth Hedrick-Collins, 18 August, 2011 - 5:51pm

not borealis (note range)

I think it's a B. californicus male

… John S. Ascher, 18 August, 2011 - 3:22pm

Thank you!

I didn't notice the range, good to know! Gosh, it looks so different than the ones from CA. Rather similar to the other one from CO though. Do the males have more striping than the females?

… Elizabeth Hedrick-Collins, 18 August, 2011 - 5:47pm

not sure

could it be an occidentalis male? Lots of yellow on T3 and less on T4 would support that idea.

… John S. Ascher, 9 February, 2014 - 7:54pm

Quite possible

This individual was browsing amidst a healthy population of B. occidentalis. (which were reported to the Xerces Society)

… Elizabeth Hedrick-Collins, 10 February, 2014 - 11:12pm

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