Golden Northern Bumble Bee

Bombus fervidus

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Subfamily: Apinae
Tribe: Bombini
Genus: Bombus
Species: fervidus

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Bombus fervidus: /ˈbɒmbʊs ˈfɛrvɪdəs/

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Images

Bombus (Fervidobombus) fervidus fervidus by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Summary

Bombus fervidus, the golden northern bumble bee, is a significant pollinator found primarily in North America, notable for its yellow coloration and social behavior.

Physical Characteristics

Queens: 19-21 mm, Males: 11-20 mm, Workers: 10.5-11 mm. Black face and head with a black interalar band. Lemony-yellow hairs on thorax and abdomen. Bright golden yellow abdomen with black tail tip on T5-.

Identification Tips

Can be confused with Bombus pensylvanicus and Bombus morrisoni. Males are smaller with a longer malar space and differ in color pattern.

Habitat

Prefers temperate savanna, grassland and tall grass biomes; nests in grassy, open areas, including forests and roadsides.

Distribution

Found in Canada, the northern U.S., down to parts of Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina. Common in Northeastern U.S.

Diet

Nectarivore, primarily feeds on the nectar of flowering plants and uses pollen to feed larvae. Known floral associations include clover, aster, and milkweed.

Life Cycle

Queens lay 8-10 eggs; larvae feed on honey; adults emerge after 16-25 days. Colonies grow larger with each generation.

Reproduction

Mating occurs in fall; queens hibernate until spring before laying new generations of eggs. Female offspring develop into workers; males have a solely reproductive purpose.

Predators

Chinese mantis, goldenrod spider, green darner, least shrew, striped skunk, great crested flycatcher, American bullfrog, eastern mole, Southern leopard frog, Bombus ashtoni (cuckoo bumblebee).

Conservation Status

Vulnerable; decline in populations observed due to habitat loss and agricultural intensification.

Ecosystem Role

Important pollinator for many flowering plants, contributing positively to agricultural crop pollination.

Evolution

B. fervidus is closely related to Bombus californicus, with some individuals difficult to distinguish without genetic analysis.