Bombus melanopygus, the black-tailed bumble bee,[2] black tail bumble bee[1] or orange-rumped bumblebee,[3] is a species of bumblebee native to western North America.
| Bombus melanopygus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| "Red butt" morph, Manitoba | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Apidae |
| Genus: | Bombus |
| Species: | B. melanopygus |
| Binomial name | |
| Bombus melanopygus Nylander, 1848 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Bombus edwardsii | |
This bee is widely distributed across western North America, from the Pacific to the Rocky Mountains, and from Alaska to Baja California.[4][5]
There are two forms of the black-tailed bumblebee:[4]
- Red form (“red butts,” Bombus melanopygus melanopygus) found primarily in higher latitudes of Oregon and points north, and in the Mountain West
- Dark color form (Bombus melanopygus edwardsii) is most common in California and southern Oregon
(The second and third abdominal segments are red in northern populations and black in southern; individuals with black segments were previously known as Bombus edwardsii, a separate species. Genetic analyses support the conclusion that the two forms are the same species, with B. edwardsii as a synonym.[6])
This bumblebee can utilize a number of habitat types, including agricultural and urban areas. It is "one of the few bumblebees still found regularly in San Francisco".[7] It feeds on many types of plants, including manzanitas, Ceanothus, goldenbushes, wild buckwheats, lupines, penstemons, rhododendrons, willows, sages, and clovers. It nests underground or aboveground in structures.[1]
This species is a host to the zombie fly (Apocephalus borealis).[8]
References
External links
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