Yellow-banded Bumble Bee

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Bombus terricola: /ˈbɒm.bʊs tɛˈrɪ.kə.lə/

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Summary

Bombus terricola, the yellow-banded bumblebee, has exhibited significant population declines due to habitat loss and parasitic infections. It is an essential pollinator, native to southern Canada and the eastern and midwestern U.S., and has complex behavioral traits.

Physical Characteristics

The queen is about 18 mm long, the male is 13 to 17 mm, and the worker is 9 to 14 mm. The yellow-banded bumblebee is black and yellowish-tan with a fringe of short yellow-brown hairs on the fifth abdominal segment. The front half of the thorax is yellowish-brown, with segments 2, 3, and 4 of the abdomen also yellowish-brown. The male has yellowish-brown abdominal segments 2, 3, and 7.

Identification Tips

Workers resemble the queen in general appearance but are smaller with relatively longer pubescence.

Habitat

Bombus terricola occupies a wide range of habitats, including urban areas, meadows, grasslands, wetlands, woodlands, farmlands, alpine meadows, and lowland tropical forests.

Distribution

Native to southern Canada and the eastern and midwestern United States; records mainly from the Rocky Mountains of the USA.

Diet

Bombus terricola feeds on nectar and pollen from various flowering plants, including milkweed, jewelweed, and fireweed.

Life Cycle

The life cycle includes three phases: colony initiation, where the queen produces her first workers; a switch point, where the queen lays haploid eggs for males; and a competition point, where workers exhibit aggression towards each other and the queen.

Reproduction

Typically, B. terricola queens have a single mating flight with multiple males, storing sperm in a spermatheca. Worker bees try to bias sex ratios towards females (3:1) to promote their genetic interests, while the queen prefers a balanced 1:1 ratio.

Conservation Status

Listed as Vulnerable by IUCN Red List. Populations have sharply declined since the mid-1990s.

Ecosystem Role

Important pollinator for wildflowers and crops, aiding in plant reproduction.

Economic Impact

Essential for the pollination of crops like alfalfa, potatoes, raspberries, and cranberries.

Health Concerns

Infection by parasites such as Nosema bombi has been observed, contributing to population declines.

Evolution

Closely related to Bombus affinis, which can invade B. terricola nests.

Similar Taxa

• Bombus affinis
• Bombus occidentalis

Misconceptions

Often confused with Bombus occidentalis, which was once considered a subspecies of B. terricola.

Tags

• Bumblebee
• Pollinator
• Endangered Species
• Habitat Loss
• Parasites