The USA has over 3,000 known species of bee, and of these, about 40 are bumblebees (i.e. of the genus Bombus).
As in other areas of the world, bumblebees are a cause
for concern
Bombus franklini and Bombus occidentalis are unfortunately believed to be on the brink of extinction/facing very serious decline.
Wherever
possible, please try to do your bit to help if you can. In particular,
please try to leave bee nests alone. I do not recommend killing
bumblebees even just to 'take a closer look' or 'to collect' them.
Threats to bumblebees include:
Here is a list of North American bumblebees, including cuckoo species.
(Note ‘B.’ stands for Bombus).
B. affinus
B. appositus
B. balteatus
B. bifarius bifarius
B. bifarius nearcticus
B. bimaculatus
B. borealis
B. californicus
B. caliginosus
B. centralis
B. crotchii
B. edwardsii
B. fervidus fervidus
B. flavifrons flavifrons
B. fraternus
B. frigidus
B. griseocollis
B. huntii
B. hyperboreus
B. impatiens
B. lucorum lucorum
B. melanopygus
B. mixtus
B. morrisoni
B. nevadensis auricomus
B. nevadensis nevandensis
B. pennsylvanicus pennsylvanicus
B. pennsylvanicus sonorus
B. perplexus
B. polaris polaris
B. rufocinctus
B. sandersoni
B. sitkensis
B. sylvicola
B. ternaries
B. terricola occidentalis
B. terricola terricola
B. vagans vagans
B. vandykei
B. vosnesenskii
(Read more about cuckoo bumblebees)
B. ashtoni
B. citrinus
B. crawfordii
B. fernaldae
B. insularis
B. suckleyi
B. variabalis
B. brachycephalus
B. dahlhomii
B. ephippiatus
B. mexicanus
B. pullatus
B. volucella
Ref: Bumblebee Economics by B. Heinrich, Harvard University Press, 2004.
The book, 'Bumble Bees of North America' is a a good identification guide. See my review and description here.
Another book I heartily recommend is 'The Bees In Your Backyard'....
Meadowland
by
John Lewis-Stempel
Read my review of this beautiful nature diary
For identification charts and further information, see Bee Identification.
Go to Bumblebees (introductory page)
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