Images

Let us present the first record of Bombus rufocinctus for the state of Pennsylvania. This is a not uncommon northern and western species....it just hasn't been found in PA as of yet. Some notes on its identification.

Let us present the first record of Bombus rufocinctus for the state of Pennsylvania. This is a not uncommon northern and western species....it just hasn't been found in PA as of yet. Some notes on its identification.

Bombus rufocinctus - A northern and western bumble bee, notable for the great variety in patterns of light and dark hairs (and sometimes red ones) on the abdomen that has confused many a biologist. This is a male from Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, collected as part of climate change project in the early part of this decade. Photograph by Wayne Boo.

Another bumble bee! How many can there be? Answer: About 50 north of Mexico. Here is a widespread northern one. Bombus rufocinctus. Collected in Yellowstone National Park. Photograph by Colby Francouer.

Another bumble bee! How many can there be? Answer: About 50 north of Mexico. Here is a widespread northern one. Bombus rufocinctus. Collected in Yellowstone National Park. Photograph by Colby Francouer.

Three more bumblebees today from Yellowstone National Park, or should I say three more pictures of one bumblebee. These are shots of Bombus rufocinctus. This species is notoriously variable in its hair coloration. In this particular shot there is a great deal of reddish orange in the abdomen.

Three more bumblebees today from Yellowstone National Park, or should I say three more pictures of one bumblebee. These are shots of Bombus rufocinctus. This species is notoriously variable in its hair coloration. In this particular shot there is a great deal of reddish orange in the abdomen.

Three more bumblebees today from Yellowstone National Park, or should I say three more pictures of one bumblebee. These are shots of Bombus rufocinctus. This species is notoriously variable in its hair coloration. In this particular shot there is a great deal of reddish orange in the abdomen.

A quick back shot of Bombus ternarius. In the east, it is the only bee with bright orange markings on its abdomen, the other bees may have some yellow or dark reddish but nothing so spectacular. A northern bee, something that occurs from Pennsylvania North but is yet to be recorded in West Virginia or Maryland. Photograph by Amber Reese, specimen from Michigan.

Some yellow and orange tushiness from a Bombus ternarius taken during the Adirondack Bioblitz. In most of New England the only Bumble Bee with significant orange and yellow on its abdomen. Photoshoping by Thistle Droege photograph by Dejen Mengis.

A common northern Bumble bee, Bombus ternarius seems to be relatively unaffected by the pathogen Nosema bombi that has impacted many other species. While not very visible in this view (but visible elsewhere in our collection) this species show bright orange on its abdomen and often causes people to think they have B.

This is the main orange butted Bumblebee of the East. Bombus ternarius. It can be very common in places like the Adirondacks where this one was collected, but occurs throughout a wide range of the Upper Midwest to New England and throughout southern Quebec and Ontario in our gardens and fields.

A common northern Bumble bee, Bombus ternarius seems to be relatively unaffected by the pathogen Nosema bombi that has impacted many other species. While not very visible in this view (but visible elsewhere in our collection) this species show bright orange on its abdomen and often causes people to think they have B.

This is the main orange butted Bumblebee of the East. Bombus ternarius. It can be very common in places like the Adirondacks where this one was collected, but occurs throughout a wide range of the Upper Midwest to New England and throughout southern Quebec and Ontario in our gardens and fields.

Bombus terrestris - A domesticated bee. Widely used in agriculture in green house pollination as well as in the field. Also one that has been introduced into several parts of the world... Causing major problems in South America where some combination of competition and disease harms the native bumble bees.

Bombus terrestris - A domesticated bee. Widely used in agriculture in green house pollination as well as in the field. Also one that has been introduced into several parts of the world... Causing major problems in South America where some combination of competition and disease harms the native bumble bees.

Bombus terrestris - A domesticated bee. Widely used in agriculture in green house pollination as well as in the field. Also one that has been introduced into several parts of the world... Causing major problems in South America where some combination of competition and disease harms the native bumble bees.

A bumble bee with issues. This is the Yellow-banded Bumble Bee. Or, scientifically, we call it Bombus terricola. Its one of a number of Bumbles in North America that have been penalized by the introduction of Nosema bombi, an inadvertent import from Europe.

One of the species of bumble bees that have declined since the introduction of the pathogen Nosema bombi, but there are some suggestions that populations have managed to survive or increase a bit ,,,this one, captured by Laura Russo is at the southern edge of its range and a good sign for retention. Photograph by Greta Forbes.

A bumble bee with issues. This is the Yellow-banded Bumble Bee. Or, scientifically, we call it Bombus terricola. Its one of a number of Bumbles in North America that have been penalized by the introduction of Nosema bombi, an inadvertent import from Europe.

An uncommon species and one that had under gone some recent declines, Bombus terricola has seen increases recently in at least parts of its range.