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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 Pyrobombus (Bombus Subgenus Pyrobombus) » Black-tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus melanopygus)
Photo#849441
Pale-yellow and velvety-black Bubmble Bee - Bombus melanopygus
Copyright © 2013 Emile

Pale-yellow and velvety-black Bubmble Bee - Bombus melanopygus
Palos Verdes Peninsula, Los Angeles County, California, USA
March 21, 2009
Is this a female Black-tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus melanopygus) ?

Feel free to frass afterward.
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Contributed by Emile on 30 September, 2013 - 5:40pm
Last updated 30 September, 2013 - 8:27pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… John S. Ascher, 30 September, 2013 - 8:27pm login or register to post comments

melanopygus
note range (flavifrons is unknown this far S)
… John S. Ascher, 30 September, 2013 - 8:25pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks a lot, John !!
A new Bombus species record for the Peninsula.
… Emile, 1 October, 2013 - 9:07am login or register to post comments

Maybe? or flavifrons?
Hmm... I'm torn. On the one hand, it doesn't feel like melanopygus - it looks like T4-5 are black (though I'm having trouble telling where the abdomen ends from the picture, it's possible what I see as T4-5 is actually T2-3, which are black on melanopygus) and melanopygus females have only T5 black, plus the anterior end of the thorax is bright yellow (melanopygus is usually cloudy). It almost looks like an early flavifrons queen. On the other hand, melanopygus is common where you describe, and emerges early up here, whereas flavifrons only somewhat is in your area at all.

So, not a terribly helpful answer, sorry!
… Kelsey J.R.P. Byers, 30 September, 2013 - 6:07pm login or register to post comments

 
T2 is black
-
… John S. Ascher, 30 September, 2013 - 8:26pm login or register to post comments

 
Ahh, excellent - thanks!
Ahh, excellent - thanks!
… Kelsey J.R.P. Byers, 30 September, 2013 - 8:32pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks for your detailed input, Kelsey !
It is indeed hard to see how the abdomen is curved due to the poor quality of the photo.
I checked, but unfortunately have no other photos of this specimen ...

I agree that there is resemblance with B. flavifrons, but its range appears to end quite a bit north of here.

B. melanopygus is supposed to be in our area, but I've never seen one on the Peninsula before, and hence am very interested in identifying it.
… Emile, 30 September, 2013 - 6:42pm login or register to post comments

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