Franklin's Bumble Bee
Bombus franklini
This record describes Bombus franklini (species). Recorded family: Apidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Has declined severely to the point where none at all have been seen by Robbin Thorp since 2006. Due to its very narrow historic range and lack of any recent records despite resurveys at known localities the conservation status of this species is of great concern.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Trigonaloidea
- Family
- Apidae (Cuckoo, Carpenter, Digger, Bumble, and Honey Bees)
- Subfamily
- Apinae
- Tribe
- Bombini
- Genus
- Bombus (Bumble Bees)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Restricted to a very limited area of southern Oregon and northern California. The putative type locality of southern Arizona is now known to be erroneous. Discover Life Map .
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Host plants include lupine as recorded in the Hosts section of its Discover Life species page .
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Honors bumble bee specialist H. J. Franklin, author of the revision of New World Bombus .
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Bombus franklini. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Franklin's Bumble Bee (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by John S. Ascher; Additional contributions by hg
Frequently Asked Questions About Franklin's Bumble Bee
What is Franklin's Bumble Bee?
Franklin's Bumble Bee (Bombus franklini) is a species in the family Apidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
Where is Franklin's Bumble Bee found?
Range: Restricted to a very limited area of southern Oregon and northern California. The putative type locality of southern Arizona is now known to be erroneous. Discover Life Map .
What does Franklin's Bumble Bee eat?
The diet of the Franklin's Bumble Bee includes Host plants include lupine as recorded in the Hosts section of its Discover Life species page ..