guide are all female bees. bees. female all are guide

Yellow-headed bee Yellow-headed Black-headed bee Black-headed are intermediate between these varieties. these between intermediate are

segment. longer hair. Bumble bees pictured and described in this this in described and pictured bees Bumble hair. longer

most commonly found color patterns. Some bees bees Some patterns. color found commonly most

abdominal abdominal 4 the on hair white or black with and abdomens. Males sometimes have larger eyes and and eyes larger have sometimes Males abdomens. and

th

B. occidentalis B. represent the the represent of varieties three These

pack pollen) on their hind legs, and shorter antennae antennae shorter and legs, hind their on pollen) pack B. occidentalis B. to opposed as segment, abdominal

sometimes sometimes pollen baskets (an indentation onto which they they which onto indentation (an baskets pollen

Rocky Mountains to to Mountains Rocky

These look-a-like bees have yellow hair on the 4 the on hair yellow have bees look-a-like These

th

black hair on the face. face. the on hair black common in late summer and early fall. Females have have Females fall. early and summer late in common

B. occidentalis B. with all all with to opposed as face, the on Workers and queens are both female. Males can be be can Males female. both are queens and Workers (cuckoo bee) (cuckoo

Bombus fernaldae Bombus

Females are found through spring, summer and early fall. fall. early and summer spring, through found are Females These look-a-like bees have prominent yellow hair hair yellow prominent have bees look-a-like These

(cuckoo bee) (cuckoo

leg thinner leg wider leg Bombus vosnesenskii Bombus vosnesenskii Bombus

male hind male hind female

13 segments 13 segments 12

male antenna male antenna female

east to Montana to east

(cuckoo bee) (cuckoo

British Columbia, Columbia, British

Bombus suckleyi Bombus californicus Bombus

Northern California to to California Northern Central coastal coastal Central 7 segments 7 segments 6

male abdomen male abdomen female

Bombus caliginosus Bombus vandykei Bombus

Female hind legs are wider than male hind legs. hind male than wider are legs hind Female

Females have 12 antennal segments versus 13 in males. males. in 13 versus segments antennal 12 have Females

Females have 6 abdominal segments versus 7 in males. in 7 versus segments abdominal 6 have Females yellow on the head the on yellow varieties on the 4th abdominal segment abdominal 4th the on Bombus occidentalis Bombus

ale or female ? female or ale M

imilar female bees with bees female imilar S female ommon C imilar female bees with yellow yellow with bees female imilar S

Historic range of Bombus occidentalis Other common bumble bees of western North America There are around 30 bumble bee present in western North America. Females of some of the most pocket guide to identifying commonly found bees are pictured here. Some species pictured have varieties with different coloration. the western For more identification information, visit www.discoverlife.org and www.bugguide.net bumble bee

, A Monograph Found in coastal areas Bombus occidentalis 1971

Bombus nevadensis Bombus griseocollis of the Western Hemisphere . Map based on Milliron Bombus melanopygus Bombus bifarius (edwardsii) (nearcticus) The western bumble bee was once commonly found n r in the western United States and Canada. They can u b still be found in northern and eastern parts of their h itc historic range, but populations from southern British D k Columbia to central California have nearly disappeared Bombus mixtus Bombus huntii Found in the mountains and northern areas rric De in recent years. Your efforts to search for this bee Photo by will help document their current range. The Xerces Society and scientists studying bumble bee decline www.xerces.org/bumblebees will use this information to promote conservation of remaining B. occidentalis populations. THE XERCES SOCIETY If you findBombus occidentalis, please contact [email protected] FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION Visit www.xerces.org/bumblebees for more information. Bombus melanopygus Bombus bifarius Funding for bumble bee conservation provided by the CS Fund. Bombus morrisoni Guide developed and illustrated by Elaine Evans, The Xerces Society. Thanks to Dr. Robbin Thorp, UC Davis.

Queen

eyes and longer hair. longer and eyes

short-faced bee short-faced bee long-faced

antennae and abdomens. Males sometimes have larger larger have sometimes Males abdomens. and antennae Black-headed Yellow-headed

Bombus griseocollis Bombus

sometimes pack pollen) on their hind legs, and shorter shorter and legs, hind their on pollen) pack sometimes

have pollen baskets (an indentation onto which they they which onto indentation (an baskets pollen have

on the abdomen. the on

be common in late summer and early fall. Females Females fall. early and summer late in common be

have the rusty patch patch rusty the have

fall. Workers and queens are both female. Males can can Males female. both are queens and Workers fall.

size and do not not do and size

Females are found through spring, summer, and early early and summer, spring, through found are Females

B. affinis B. . do than face longer they are larger in in larger are they

B. vagans B. a a have addition, In heads. their of top the on

to workers except except workers to

leg thinner leg wider leg B. affinis B. have black hair hair black have while heads their of top the on

Queens are similar similar are Queens

male hind male hind female

B. citrinus citrinus B. vagans B. males have yellow hair hair yellow have males and workers

13 segments 13 segments 12

male antenna male antenna female

rusty patch on the second abdominal segment. segment. abdominal second the on patch rusty

, B. affinis affinis B. , workers have a a have workers However segments. abdominal

wings and centrally in a narrow V towards the rear. rear. the towards V narrow a in centrally and wings

have yellow hair covering most of the first two two first the of most covering hair yellow have males

patch in the middle of the thorax out towards the the towards out thorax the of middle the in patch

B. citrinus citrinus B. , vagans B. affinis B. and females and

On the thorax, black hairs extend from a central central a from extend hairs black thorax, the On

segment. The hair on their heads is mostly black. black. mostly is heads their on hair The segment.

(cuckoo bee) (cuckoo

patch on the front half of their second abdominal abdominal second their of half front the on patch citrinus Bombus vagans Bombus male worker Bombus bimaculatus Bombus

Workers and males have a distinctive rusty brown brown rusty distinctive a have males and Workers 7 segments 7 segments 6

male abdomen male abdomen female

Male Worker

Female hind legs are wider than male hind legs. hind male than wider are legs hind Female

Females have 12 antennal segments versus 13 in males. males. in 13 versus segments antennal 12 have Females

the second abdominal segment segment abdominal second the rear of the second abdominal segment abdominal second the of rear

Females have 6 abdominal segments versus 7 in males. in 7 versus segments abdominal 6 have Females

Identifying Identifying Male or female ? female or Male Similar bees with yellow at the rear of of rear the at yellow with bees Similar Similar bees without yellow at the the at yellow without bees Similar ombus affinis ombus B

Historic range of Other common bumblebees of eastern North America There are around 20 bumble bee species present in eastern North America. Females of some POCKET GUIDE TO INDENTIFYING of the most commonly found bees are pictured here. Some species pictured have varieties with different coloration. THE RUSTY PATCHED For more identification information, visit www.discoverlife.org and www.bugguide.net BUMBLE BEE

, A Monograph bombus affinis

1971

of the Western Hemisphere Bumblebees. Map based on Milliron

The rusty patched bumble bee was once common Bombus pensylvanicus Bombus fraternus z in in the eastern United States and the upper Midwest. e -H They can still occasionally be found in isolated es am patches, but B. affinis has disappeared from most of a J ann its former range in recent years. Your efforts to search Photo by Joh for this bee will help document their current range. The Xerces Society and scientists studying declining www.xerces.org/bumblebees bumble bees will use this information to promote conservation of remainingB. affinis populations . THE XERCES SOCIETY FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION If you find Bombus affinis, please contact [email protected] Visit www.xerces.org/bumblebees for more information. Funding for bumble bee conservation provided by the CS Fund. Bombus rufocinctus Bombus rufocinctus Bombus citrinus Guide developed and illustrated by Elaine Evans, The Xerces Society. (cuckoo bee) Thanks to Dr. Robbin Thorp, UC Davis.

heads and the front of their faces. their of front the and heads eyes and longer hair. hair. longer and eyes

hair. black have males

patches of long pale yellow hair on the top of their their of top the on hair yellow pale long of patches antennae and abdomens. Males sometimes have larger larger have sometimes Males abdomens. and antennae B. terricola terricola B. hair along the rear of the thorax while while thorax the of rear the along hair

. B. terricola B. males than eyes larger much have

Male coloration is similar to females, except for for except females, to similar is coloration Male sometimes pack pollen) on their hind legs, and shorter shorter and legs, hind their on pollen) pack sometimes B. pensylvanicus B. auricomus B. have yellow yellow have and Male

B. auricomus B. males males faces. their of front the on hair black

have pollen baskets (an indentation onto which they they which onto indentation (an baskets pollen have

Male

Bombus pensylvanicus Bombus auricomus Bombus

B. pensylvanicus pensylvanicus B. have mostly mostly have while faces, their of front the

be common in late summer and early fall. Females Females fall. early and summer late in common be

B. terricola B. have a prominent patch of yellow hair on on hair yellow of patch prominent a have Male fall. Workers and queens are both female. Males can can Males female. both are queens and Workers fall.

Females are found through spring, summer, and early early and summer, spring, through found are Females

B. pensylvanicus B. auricomus B. terricola B.

leg thinner leg wider leg

male hind male hind female

13 segments 13 segments 12

male antenna male antenna female

variation in coloration across its range. its across coloration in variation Males

workers except they are larger in size. There is is There size. in larger are they except workers

Males

fifth abdominal segment. Queens are similar to to similar are Queens segment. abdominal fifth

B. terricola. B. fifth abdominal segment present on on present segment abdominal fifth of brownish yellow hair on the far edge of the the of edge far the on hair yellow brownish of

B. pensylvanicus pensylvanicus B. lack the fringe of brown hair on the the on hair brown of fringe the lack segments are black with the exception of a fringe fringe a of exception the with black are segments

B. pensylvanicus B. have long faces. long have and

B. auricomus B. and and segment. abdominal first their of two and three. The head and other abdominal abdominal other and head The three. and two

B. auricomus B. terricola B. whereas faces short have Female

. . head

B. pensylvanicus B. have yellow at the rear edge edge rear the at yellow have of the thorax as well as on abdominal segments segments abdominal on as well as thorax the of 7 segments 7 segments 6

male abdomen male abdomen female

. auricomus B. have yellow hair on top of their their of top on hair yellow have

Workers and queens have yellow on the front front the on yellow have queens and Workers

B. pensylvanicus pensylvanicus B.

Worker Queen Bombus pensylvanicus Bombus B. auricomus auricomus B. B. terricola B. and and Bombus auricomus Bombus

Females Female hind legs are wider than male hind legs. hind male than wider are legs hind Female

Females have 12 antennal segments versus 13 in males. males. in 13 versus segments antennal 12 have Females

Females have 6 abdominal segments versus 7 in males. in 7 versus segments abdominal 6 have Females Females

ale or female ? female or ale M Similar bumble bees bees bumble Similar dentifying I eads of similar bumble bees bumble similar of eads H ombus terricola ombus B

Historic range of Bombus terricola Other common bumble bees of eastern North America There are around 20 bumble bee species present in eastern North America. Females of some pocket guide to identifying of the most commonly found bees are pictured here. Some species pictured have varieties with different coloration. the yellowbanded

, A , For more identification information, visit www.discoverlife.org and www.bugguide.net bumble bee

1971 bombus terricola Monograph of the Western Western the of Monograph Hemisphere Bumblebees. Map based on Milliron

The yellowbanded bumble bee was once commonly

g

found throughout much of eastern North America. n o L They can still be found occasionally in isolated e D i patches, but B. terricola has disappeared from most Bombus bimaculatus Bombus impatiens Bombus fervidus Bombus fraternus d Jo of its former range in recent years. Your efforts to y b o search for this bee will help document their current ot Ph range. The Xerces Society and scientists studying bumble bee decline will use this information to promote conservation of remaining yellowbanded www.xerces.org/bumblebees bumble bee populations. THE XERCES SOCIETY If you find Bombus terricola, please contact [email protected] FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION Visit www.xerces.org/bumblebees for more information.

Funding for bumble bee conservation provided by the CS Fund. Guide developed and illustrated by Elaine Evans, The Xerces Society. Bombus ternarius Bombus vagans Bombus citrinus Bombus griseocollis Thanks to Dr. Robbin Thorp, UC Davis. (cuckoo bee) Folding instructions for Xerces Society bumble bee guides

Use borderless printing for best results.

Fold in half along horizontal dotted line.

Fold accordion-style along three vertical dotted lines.