Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Images

USGS Bee Lab at the Eastern Ecological Science Center images.

Filter Total Items: 4493
close up of image
Bombus affinis, m, right side, tucker county allstar 2018 wv
Bombus affinis, m, right side, tucker county allstar 2018 wv
Bombus affinis, m, right side, tucker county allstar 2018 wv

Bombus affinis, 2018, Tucker County, West Virginia. An Endangered Species. This male was found by Justin DeVault from AllStar Ecology, who with other folks at AllStar, on their own time and dollar, have been surveying bumble bees in the state. Good people, good model, too rarely done, why aren't you doing this? I digress.

Bombus affinis, 2018, Tucker County, West Virginia. An Endangered Species. This male was found by Justin DeVault from AllStar Ecology, who with other folks at AllStar, on their own time and dollar, have been surveying bumble bees in the state. Good people, good model, too rarely done, why aren't you doing this? I digress.

close up of image
Bombus affinis, m, side, tucker county allstar 2018 wv
Bombus affinis, m, side, tucker county allstar 2018 wv
Bombus affinis, m, side, tucker county allstar 2018 wv

Bombus affinis, 2018, Tucker County, West Virginia. An Endangered Species. This male was found by Justin DeVault from AllStar Ecology, who with other folks at AllStar, on their own time and dollar, have been surveying bumble bees in the state. Good people, good model, too rarely done, why aren't you doing this? I digress.

Bombus affinis, 2018, Tucker County, West Virginia. An Endangered Species. This male was found by Justin DeVault from AllStar Ecology, who with other folks at AllStar, on their own time and dollar, have been surveying bumble bees in the state. Good people, good model, too rarely done, why aren't you doing this? I digress.

close up of image
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 back
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 back
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 back

More shots of a queen Bombus affinis...the newly minted endangered Bumble Bee. This specimen is from the National Collection at the Smithsonian and was collected in Racine, Wisconsin in 1965 when times were easy for this species. Collected by L.W.

More shots of a queen Bombus affinis...the newly minted endangered Bumble Bee. This specimen is from the National Collection at the Smithsonian and was collected in Racine, Wisconsin in 1965 when times were easy for this species. Collected by L.W.

close up of image
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 face
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 face
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 face

More shots of a queen Bombus affinis...the newly minted endangered Bumble Bee. This specimen is from the National Collection at the Smithsonian and was collected in Racine, Wisconsin in 1965 when times were easy for this species. Collected by L.W.

More shots of a queen Bombus affinis...the newly minted endangered Bumble Bee. This specimen is from the National Collection at the Smithsonian and was collected in Racine, Wisconsin in 1965 when times were easy for this species. Collected by L.W.

close up of image
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 front
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 front
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 front

More shots of a queen Bombus affinis...the newly minted endangered Bumble Bee. This specimen is from the National Collection at the Smithsonian and was collected in Racine, Wisconsin in 1965 when times were easy for this species. Collected by L.W.

More shots of a queen Bombus affinis...the newly minted endangered Bumble Bee. This specimen is from the National Collection at the Smithsonian and was collected in Racine, Wisconsin in 1965 when times were easy for this species. Collected by L.W.

close up of image
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 sideface
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 sideface
Bombus affinis, queen, racine wi, LW Macior 1965 sideface

Here is the first in a series of shots of a queen and male Bombus affinis...the newly minted endangered Bumble Bee. This specimen is from the National Collection at the Smithsonian and was collected in Racine, Wisconsin in 1965 when times were easy for this species. Collected by L.W.

Here is the first in a series of shots of a queen and male Bombus affinis...the newly minted endangered Bumble Bee. This specimen is from the National Collection at the Smithsonian and was collected in Racine, Wisconsin in 1965 when times were easy for this species. Collected by L.W.

close up of image
Bombus ashtoni, f, tail, albany, mccabe
Bombus ashtoni, f, tail, albany, mccabe
Bombus ashtoni, f, tail, albany, mccabe

Bombus ashtoni! This is news. This species of bumble bee is nest parasite. They take over the nests of other bumble bees and use the host's workers to produce their progeny. This one is special because its known hosts are B. affinis (the endangered Rusty-patched Bumble Bee) and B.

Bombus ashtoni! This is news. This species of bumble bee is nest parasite. They take over the nests of other bumble bees and use the host's workers to produce their progeny. This one is special because its known hosts are B. affinis (the endangered Rusty-patched Bumble Bee) and B.

close up of image
Bombus bifarius, face
Bombus bifarius, face
Bombus bifarius, face

Bombus bifarius is one of the common species of western bumble bees, surprisingly, there are nearly 50 different species found north of Mexico and many are also tricky to identify and can only be accomplished under a microscope. So not like butterflies.

Bombus bifarius is one of the common species of western bumble bees, surprisingly, there are nearly 50 different species found north of Mexico and many are also tricky to identify and can only be accomplished under a microscope. So not like butterflies.

close up of image
Bombus bimaculatus, M, Side, VA, Wolftrap
Bombus bimaculatus, M, Side, VA, Wolftrap
Bombus bimaculatus, M, Side, VA, Wolftrap

Male Bombus bimaculatus from Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, captured in the new native plant circle

close up of image
Bombus californicus, f, face, Yolo Co, CA
Bombus californicus, f, face, Yolo Co, CA
Bombus californicus, f, face, Yolo Co, CA

A western bumble bee. Bombus californicus is a reasonably uncommon dark-winged Bumble bee that ranges from the Rockies to the West and whose populations may have been knocked back by the same pathogen suite as the gone or nearly gone species such as B. affinis and B. franklini.

A western bumble bee. Bombus californicus is a reasonably uncommon dark-winged Bumble bee that ranges from the Rockies to the West and whose populations may have been knocked back by the same pathogen suite as the gone or nearly gone species such as B. affinis and B. franklini.

close up of image
Bombus citrinus, f, back, Talbot Co, MD
Bombus citrinus, f, back, Talbot Co, MD
Bombus citrinus, f, back, Talbot Co, MD

Not all bumblebees gather pollen. Some, like this Bombus citrinus, take over the nests of other bumblebee species and use their workers to provision the nests of their young.

Not all bumblebees gather pollen. Some, like this Bombus citrinus, take over the nests of other bumblebee species and use their workers to provision the nests of their young.

close up of image
Bombus citrinus, f, face, Talbot Co, MD
Bombus citrinus, f, face, Talbot Co, MD
Bombus citrinus, f, face, Talbot Co, MD

Not all bumblebees gather pollen. Some, like this Bombus citrinus, take over the nests of other bumblebee species and use their workers to provision the nests of their young.

Not all bumblebees gather pollen. Some, like this Bombus citrinus, take over the nests of other bumblebee species and use their workers to provision the nests of their young.

close up of image
Bombus citrinus, f, side, Talbot Co, MD
Bombus citrinus, f, side, Talbot Co, MD
Bombus citrinus, f, side, Talbot Co, MD

Not all bumblebees gather pollen. Some, like this Bombus citrinus, take over the nests of other bumblebee species and use their workers to provision the nests of their young.

Not all bumblebees gather pollen. Some, like this Bombus citrinus, take over the nests of other bumblebee species and use their workers to provision the nests of their young.

close up of image
Bombus citrinus, f, talbot, face
Bombus citrinus, f, talbot, face
Bombus citrinus, f, talbot, face

Power...This is Bombus citrinus, a female just emerged from where she hibernated overwinter and looking for the new nests of a queen bumblebee, note the sting on the prominent tail end of this bee, she uses that to eliminate or paralyze the female of another bumblebee, taking over the nest and essentially enslaving the daughters of the queen to now raise her young.

Power...This is Bombus citrinus, a female just emerged from where she hibernated overwinter and looking for the new nests of a queen bumblebee, note the sting on the prominent tail end of this bee, she uses that to eliminate or paralyze the female of another bumblebee, taking over the nest and essentially enslaving the daughters of the queen to now raise her young.

close up of image
Bombus citrinus, f, talbot, side
Bombus citrinus, f, talbot, side
Bombus citrinus, f, talbot, side

Power...This is Bombus citrinus, a female just emerged from where she hibernated overwinter and looking for the new nests of a queen bumblebee, note the sting on the prominent tail end of this bee, she uses that to eliminate or paralyze the female of another bumblebee, taking over the nest and essentially enslaving the daughters of the queen to now raise her young.

Power...This is Bombus citrinus, a female just emerged from where she hibernated overwinter and looking for the new nests of a queen bumblebee, note the sting on the prominent tail end of this bee, she uses that to eliminate or paralyze the female of another bumblebee, taking over the nest and essentially enslaving the daughters of the queen to now raise her young.

close up of image
Bombus citrinus, U, back1, Maryland, Carolina County
Bombus citrinus, U, back1, Maryland, Carolina County
Bombus citrinus, U, back1, Maryland, Carolina County

Some bumble bees are parasites. A common theme in the bee world...to the tune of about 20% of all the species. Why go to all that work gathering pollen when you can just lay your egg in someone else's nest. Then in an evolutionary spy vs.

Some bumble bees are parasites. A common theme in the bee world...to the tune of about 20% of all the species. Why go to all that work gathering pollen when you can just lay your egg in someone else's nest. Then in an evolutionary spy vs.

close up of image
Bombus citrinus, U, back2, Maryland, Caroline County
Bombus citrinus, U, back2, Maryland, Caroline County
Bombus citrinus, U, back2, Maryland, Caroline County

A parasite of other bumblebeeds, B. citrinus, is the most common parasitic species in the East, but, as a parasite this still means it is very uncommon. The tale is simple, this species invades a nest, eliminates queen, and makes workers raise its own young.

A parasite of other bumblebeeds, B. citrinus, is the most common parasitic species in the East, but, as a parasite this still means it is very uncommon. The tale is simple, this species invades a nest, eliminates queen, and makes workers raise its own young.

close up of image
Bombus citrinus, U, side, Maryland, Caroline County
Bombus citrinus, U, side, Maryland, Caroline County
Bombus citrinus, U, side, Maryland, Caroline County

A parasite of other bumblebeeds, B. citrinus, is the most common parasitic species in the East, but, as a parasite this still means it is very uncommon. The tale is simple, this species invades a nest, eliminates queen, and makes workers raise its own young.

A parasite of other bumblebeeds, B. citrinus, is the most common parasitic species in the East, but, as a parasite this still means it is very uncommon. The tale is simple, this species invades a nest, eliminates queen, and makes workers raise its own young.

close up of image
Bombus crotchii, f, back, Yolo Co, CA
Bombus crotchii, f, back, Yolo Co, CA
Bombus crotchii, f, back, Yolo Co, CA

A somewhat bedraggled Bombus crotchii from Yolo County, California..."This bee was collected in the California Central Valley in Yolo County for research on small-scale restoration in agricultural areas. Claire Kremen's 10-year study of hedgerows shows the benefits of planting native shrubs and forbs in agricultural areas for native bees.

A somewhat bedraggled Bombus crotchii from Yolo County, California..."This bee was collected in the California Central Valley in Yolo County for research on small-scale restoration in agricultural areas. Claire Kremen's 10-year study of hedgerows shows the benefits of planting native shrubs and forbs in agricultural areas for native bees.

close up of image
Bombus crotchii, f, face, Yolo Co, CA
Bombus crotchii, f, face, Yolo Co, CA
Bombus crotchii, f, face, Yolo Co, CA

A somewhat bedraggled Bombus crotchii from Yolo County, California..."This bee was collected in the California Central Valley in Yolo County for research on small-scale restoration in agricultural areas. Claire Kremen's 10-year study of hedgerows shows the benefits of planting native shrubs and forbs in agricultural areas for native bees.

A somewhat bedraggled Bombus crotchii from Yolo County, California..."This bee was collected in the California Central Valley in Yolo County for research on small-scale restoration in agricultural areas. Claire Kremen's 10-year study of hedgerows shows the benefits of planting native shrubs and forbs in agricultural areas for native bees.

close up of image
Bombus crotchii, f, right, Yolo Co, CA
Bombus crotchii, f, right, Yolo Co, CA
Bombus crotchii, f, right, Yolo Co, CA

A somewhat bedraggled Bombus crotchii from Yolo County, California..."This bee was collected in the California Central Valley in Yolo County for research on small-scale restoration in agricultural areas. Claire Kremen's 10-year study of hedgerows shows the benefits of planting native shrubs and forbs in agricultural areas for native bees.

A somewhat bedraggled Bombus crotchii from Yolo County, California..."This bee was collected in the California Central Valley in Yolo County for research on small-scale restoration in agricultural areas. Claire Kremen's 10-year study of hedgerows shows the benefits of planting native shrubs and forbs in agricultural areas for native bees.

Was this page helpful?