Images

Bumblebees are so charismatic. Here is a queen form downtown Washington D.C. very near the mall. Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200,

More bumble bees...! But this one is from New Zealand. Do bumble bees belong in New Zealand? No. They were introduced. This one is Bombus hortorum, Widespread in Europe and Asia...and now widespread in New Zealand this species was purposefully introduced to help with clover related pollination.

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

The most common of all the eastern Bumblebees, Bombus impatiens, is something of the cow/chicken/pig of the non-honeybee world. Now used throughout the continent to fertilize plants in greenhouse cultivation. Note the whitish rather than yellowish light colored hairs and that the first segment of the abdomen has light hairs, but remainder are black.

People think that identifying Bumble Bees are easy. They are big, there are "guides" that show the color patterns...so what could go wrong....well....things like this specimen of Bombus impatiens. It should have NO red / brown on it, but this specimens has 2 whole tergites that are reddish brown.

People think that identifying Bumble Bees are easy. They are big, there are "guides" that show the color patterns...so what could go wrong....well....things like this specimen of Bombus impatiens. It should have NO red / brown on it, but this specimens has 2 whole tergites that are reddish brown.

A hulking bumble bee nest parasite. Bombus insularis is another example of alternative bumble bee lifestyles. Usurping nests of other bumbles to raise their young. This one is found throughout the northern parts of North America and down the western mountains, but not the Appalachians.

A hulking bumble bee nest parasite. Bombus insularis is another example of alternative bumble bee lifestyles. Usurping nests of other bumbles to raise their young. This one is found throughout the northern parts of North America and down the western mountains, but not the Appalachians.

A hulking bumble bee nest parasite. Bombus insularis is another example of alternative bumble bee lifestyles. Usurping nests of other bumbles to raise their young. This one is found throughout the northern parts of North America and down the western mountains, but not the Appalachians.

A bit bedragled specimen of the bumble bee B. melanopygus from Yosemite National Park. We weren't quite up to speed on our hair dressing when we prepped this specimen. Part of Claire Kremen's study of the bees of the park. Photo by Anders Croft.

Another male Yosemite Bumble Bee. B. melanopygus is similar to B. bifarius illustrated in the last set of picture, but a bit more higher elevation and bit more arctic in its distributions. There is a softness to the face here that I find most appealing. Collected by Claire Kremen's group in the National Park. Photo by Anders Croft.

Here is a little worker bumble bee of the west coast variety: Bombus melanopygus. Found in one of the San Francisco gardens that Jaime Pawalek does her bee research in. Long hair that is difficult to primp properly once it has gotten wet. So it goes.

Another male Yosemite Bumble Bee. B. melanopygus is similar to B. bifarius illustrated in the last set of picture, but a bit more higher elevation and bit more arctic in its distributions. There is a softness to the face here that I find most appealing. Collected by Claire Kremen's group in the National Park. Photo by Anders Croft.

Tightly wrapped in fur-like orange hair, this lovely western bumblebee was captured at the far edge of its range in Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Near the Black Hills, an island of Rocky Mountain type habitat in a sea of prairie, the Badlands are receivers perhaps of bees that otherwise would not inhabit prairie habitats. Photo by Brooke Alexander.

Tightly wrapped in fur-like orange hair, this lovely western bumblebee (Bombus morrisoni) was captured at the far edge of its range in Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Near the Black Hills, an island of Rocky Mountain type habitat in a sea of prairie, the Badlands are receivers perhaps of bees that otherwise would not inhabit prairie habitats.

And now we present a mystery. Here is a bumble bee collected in northern Virginia in a blue vane trap as part of T'ai Roulston's research group looking at bee populations in restored fields. The question at hand is what species is it? Its a clean, unworn bee, appears to be the size of large worker or perhaps a small queen and it fits some characteristics of B.

And now we present a mystery. Here is a bumble bee collected in northern Virginia in a blue vane trap as part of T'ai Roulston's research group looking at bee populations in restored fields. The question at hand is what species is it? Its a clean, unworn bee, appears to be the size of large worker or perhaps a small queen and it fits some characteristics of B.

And now we present a mystery. Here is a bumble bee collected in northern Virginia in a blue vane trap as part of T'ai Roulston's research group looking at bee populations in restored fields. The question at hand is what species is it? Its a clean, unworn bee, appears to be the size of large worker or perhaps a small queen and it fits some characteristics of B.

And now we present a mystery. Here is a bumble bee collected in northern Virginia in a blue vane trap as part of T'ai Roulston's research group looking at bee populations in restored fields. The question at hand is what species is it? Its a clean, unworn bee, appears to be the size of large worker or perhaps a small queen and it fits some characteristics of B.

And now we present a mystery. Here is a bumble bee collected in northern Virginia in a blue vane trap as part of T'ai Roulston's research group looking at bee populations in restored fields. The question at hand is what species is it? Its a clean, unworn bee, appears to be the size of large worker or perhaps a small queen and it fits some characteristics of B.