Sonoran Bumble Bee

Bombus sonorus

Classification

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

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Bombus sonorus: /ˈbɒmbəs soʊˈnɔɹəs/

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Images

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

Summary

Bombus sonorus, or the Sonoran bumble bee, is an uncommon species found in southwestern North America and Central America, often treated as a subspecies of Bombus pensylvanicus. It is primarily a pollinator in desert and cultivated environments.

Physical Characteristics

The thorax is predominantly yellow with a long tongue. The dorsum of the thorax is yellow posteriorly and has a distinct black interalar band. T4 of females is black.

Identification Tips

Can be confused with Bombus pensylvanicus (which has a largely or entirely black posterior thorax) and the yellow form of Bombus crotchii and Bombus nevadensis.

Habitat

Nests typically in marshy flats near the coast; generally nests underground, often utilizing old pocket gopher burrows.

Distribution

Found in Central America and western and southwestern North America, especially widespread in southern California and the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts.

Diet

Primarily collects pollen from flowers such as Gossypium, Viguiera, Helianthus, Linaria, Chrysothamnus, and Kallstroemia.

Life Cycle

Active from February to October.

Conservation Status

Texas considers this a 'Species of Greatest Conservation Need' (SGCN).

Ecosystem Role

Pollinator, strongly associated with sunflowers and other flowering plants.