I've only observed this robber fly at higher elevations in the Cascades, but it may be in the Puget Sound area too. melanopygus (or similar orange-rumped bumble bees) that also has an orange band on the abdomen. Burks (1979) Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico, vol. Believe it or not, there is a robber fly mimic of B. (2006) Manuscript, Checklist of Apoidea of North America. (1998) An annotated checklist of bumble bees with an analysis of patterns of description (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombini): Bulletin of the Natural History Museum (Entomology), vol. (2006) website, Bombus - bumblebees of the world - via Catalogue of Life (2008) manuscript, World Bee Checklist Project - update 2008-09 - via Catalogue of Life via Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Bulletin of the Natural History Museum (Entomology), vol. H., 1998: An annotated checklist of bumble bees with an analysis of patterns of description (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombini). Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico, vol. Life : Animalia : Arthropoda : Insecta : Hymenoptera : Apidae : Bombus : Bombus melanopygus Bombus melanopygus, the black-tailed bumble bee, black tail bumble bee or orange-rumped bumblebee, is a species of bumblebee. Global Biodiversity Information Facility ID (GBIF) The fact that it hosts a rare, fire-dependent moth reminds us of the intricate relationships that sustain our colorful mountain meadows.From Wikipedia article at, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. Bombus lapidarius is probably the most easily recognised bumblebee species, with its black body and bright orange tail. But they are under threat from loss of habitat and the increasing use. Since many species of bumblebees are in decline due to pesticides, loss of habitat, and human intervention, there is a growing interest in encouraging and preserving our native bees. Bumblebees are very important as pollinators of plant species, including many food crops. It seems appropriate that a montane wildflower with blazing colors would depend on periodic natural fire for its survival. Orange Rumped Bumble Bees, native to the Pacific Northwest, are important pollinators. This qualifies them as a fire-dependent species, and explains their alternate common name, “Colorado firemoth.” Butterflies aren’t as effective as bees, but they still have an important role to play and they are especially drawn to plants with big, colorful blooms. However, when gaillardias get crowded out by other plants, the moths fly off to colonize newly burned areas where their host flowers abound. The Bumble Bee Body Bumble bees are part of the order Hymenoptera, and like other insects, have three distinct body segments: the head, the thorax and the abdomen. Native northwest bees are champion pollinators, buzzing as they move pollen from plant to plant in early spring to late fall, ensuring the continued growth of a wide range of flowering plants. Gaillardia seeds can lie in the ground for years, waiting for the right conditions before germinating. They found that Gaillardia aristata, which struggles to compete with dense grasses and other flowering plants, thrives primarily in areas scoured by natural fires. These species have been recorded from NWT before, but noting their. Orange-rumped Bumble Bee (Bombus melanopygus). Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, studied the relationship of gaillardia flower moth populations to host plants in local forests. faced Bumble Bee (Bombus flavifrons) and. Pupae may wait a year before emerging as adults the following summer.īruce Byers, Laurie Huckabee and Merrill Kaufmann, of the U.S. Like many other members of the genus, Bombus ternarius exhibits complex social structure with a reproductive queen caste and a multitude of sister workers with labor such as foraging, nursing, and nest maintenance divided among the subordinates. After about 20 days, the larvae dig into the surrounding soil to pupate. These are large bumblebees, and as their name suggests, they have a white bum. The orange-belted bumblebee forages on Rubus, goldenrods, Vaccinium, and milkweeds found throughout the colony's range. Her maroon wings and pale yellow head mimicked the colors of the flower head, but a closer look revealed tiny, metallic blue and white highlights.įemale gaillardia flower moths insert their eggs between the red disk flowers in the center of the flower head, and after hatching, the larvae feed on the ripening seeds. We discovered a female basking on a Gaillardia aristata at Walker Ranch during the last week in July.
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