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Bombus fervidus (yellow bumble bee)

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Taxonomy

No information at this time.

Description

Bombus fervidus have long heads; the cheek or malar space is 1.5x long as wide. They are a long-tongued species. Unlike Bombus borealis the hairs on the top of the head and face are black. Both males and females have a black stripe between the wings, abdominal segments 1-4 will be yellow, and the sides of the thorax are yellow.

Nest Structure

Bombus fervidus nest on the surface of the ground, often in deserted mouse nests or tall grass or haystacks. Males may congregate outside the nest entrance to find mates.

Activity Period

Colonies begin mid to late spring and may last into the fall.

Commonly Used Flower

Cirsium, Helianthus, Vaccinium, Amelanchior, Daucus, Lonicera, Muscari, Narcissus, Salix, Taraxacum (Mitchell 1962). Astragalus, Cirsium, Helianthus, Lonicera, Luthrum, Monarda, Penstemon, Trifolium, Vicia (Williams 2014).

Conservation Status

Bombus fervidus is considered a vulnerable species by IUCN.

References

Laverty, T. M., & Harder, L. D. (1988). The bumble bees of eastern canada. The Canadian Entomologist, 120(11), 965-987.
Mitchell, T. B. 1962. Bees of the Eastern United States. Vol. II. North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin 152: 1-557.
Williams, P., Thorp, R., Richardson, L., & Colla, S. (2014). Bumble bees of North America : An identification guide. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Minnesota Record Map

These data are from the Minnesota Bee Atlas project.