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Bombus insularis (indiscriminate bumble bee)

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Taxonomy

No information at this time.

Description

Female Bombus insularis do not have pollen baskets and the head will look wider than other bumble bee species. Males and females have similar color patterns. The hair on the face is black with a dense patch of yellow hairs above the base of the antennae.

Nest Structure

Bombus insularis is a nest parasite, which means that instead of building its own nest and caring for the larvae, it will lay its eggs in the nest of another bumble bee.

Activity Period

No information at this time.

Commonly Used Flower

Aster, Eupatorium, Melilotus, Rubus, Solidagy, Trifolium, Vaccinium

Conservation Status

IUCN species of least concern

References

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.