Bombus distinguendus

Morawitz, 1869

Great Yellow Bumble Bee, great yellow bumblebee

Bombus distinguendus, the great yellow bumblebee, is a bumblebee with a Palearctic distribution spanning northern and central Europe, northern Russia, and Alaska. The species has experienced significant declines across much of its European range, with critically low numbers or local extinction in several regions. In Ireland, it is classified as Endangered and restricted to a single remaining population in the northwest. The species exhibits late-season compared to other bumblebees and shows strong foraging preferences for specific plant species, particularly Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) in Irish populations.

Bombus distinguendus by (c) Arnstein Staverløkk/Norsk institutt for naturforskning, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Bombus (Subterraneobombus) distinguendus by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Bombus distinguendus: //ˈbɒm.bʊs dɪˌstɪŋˈɡwɛn.dəs//

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Images

Habitat

Primarily associated with grass-forb meadows and -rich grassland . In Ireland, highest abundances occur within designated nature reserves, with limited presence in smaller habitat patches including urban areas and roadside verges. In Russia, found across various habitat types with consistent association to grass-forb meadows. Coastal grassland habitats also support in parts of the range.

Distribution

Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland. Northern Russia: widespread in Arkhangelsk Oblast. North America: Alaska. In Great Britain, restricted to far north Highlands coast, Orkney, and the Western Isles.

Seasonality

Late-emerging with late-season ; in Ireland, numbers peak when forage availability is lowest. Late-developing relative to other bumblebee species in regional .

Diet

Forages on entomophilous plants. In North-West Ireland, shows specific foraging preference for Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra). Russian forage on a broad spectrum of entomophilous plants.

Life Cycle

Late-developing with late timing. In Ireland, temporal mismatch observed between peak abundance and minimum forage availability, potentially limiting colony survival and persistence.

Behavior

Not found in smaller suitable in urban areas and roadside verges in Ireland, suggesting sensitivity to habitat patch size, connectivity, or availability of nesting and hibernation sites.

Ecological Role

within bumblebee . In Irish survey sites, co-occurred with eight other true bumblebee (Bombus spp.), indicating integration into wider bumblebee .

Human Relevance

Subject to conservation concern due to declines. Classified as Endangered on the Irish Red List and Vulnerable at European level. In Ireland, conservation recommendations include delayed grassland cutting until late September, winter grazing, reduced and fertilizer use, and maintenance of connectivity.

More Details

Conservation status variation

status varies dramatically across range: critically low or locally extinct in parts of Europe, stable in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, and Endangered with single remaining population in Ireland.

Habitat management recommendations

Based on Irish research, delayed mowing until late September and winter grazing practices support persistence by maintaining forage availability through the ' late-season activity period.