Indiscriminate Cuckoo Bumble Bee

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Bombus insularis: /ˈbɒm.bəs ɪnˈsuː.lə.rɪs/

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Summary

Bombus insularis, or the indiscriminate cuckoo bumblebee, is a species of cuckoo bumblebee native to northern and western North America that practices social parasitism, relying on host bumblebees for reproduction.

Physical Characteristics

Female: 16-19 mm long, just under 1 cm wide; head black with tufts of yellow hairs, thorax coated in long pale yellow hairs, hairy black legs, black abdomen with yellow along the sides. Male: 13-16 mm long, about 0.5 cm wide at abdomen; head with long black hairs and patches of yellow, abdomen with strips of yellow and black hairs.

Identification Tips

Look for the black head with yellow hairs and the pale yellow hairs on the thorax. The size difference between males and females is notable, with males being smaller.

Habitat

Tundra, taiga, western mountain ranges, and some maritime regions.

Distribution

Native to northern and western North America, including Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States, with some populations in western states.

Diet

Both sexes regularly visit flowers for nectar, particularly composites.

Life Cycle

The queen enters a host bee's nest, kills the resident queen, and breeds in the nest tended by host workers.

Reproduction

Social parasites that rely on host species for rearing their young.

Conservation Status

Common and widespread, though it has declined in some areas and disappeared from parts of its historical range.

Ecosystem Role

As a cuckoo bumblebee, it plays a role in the ecology of its host species and pollination.

Evolution

Previously placed in Psithyrus, which is now considered a subgenus of Bombus.

Similar Taxa

• B. appositus
• B. fervidus
• B. flavifrons
• B. nevadensis
• B. ternarius

Tags

• Bee
• Cuckoo Bumblebee
• Pollinator
• Insect
• Bombus