Hunt's Bumble Bee
Bombus huntii
This record describes Bombus huntii (species). Recorded family: Apidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Yellow hairs on face. Bombus centralis looks similar but B. centralis females usually have T2 yellow and T4 orange, whereas B. huntii has T2 orange and T4 yellow.
Wikipedia reference for Bombus huntii: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombus_huntii.
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.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Visits a wide range of flowers including composites (Asteraceae) and legumes (Fabaceae). The Hosts section of its Discover Life species page lists known associations based on specimen records and images.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author: Greene, 1860
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Bombus huntii. 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 Hunt's Bumble Bee (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Joel Kits; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , John S. Ascher , Ron M. , ceiseman
Frequently Asked Questions About Hunt's Bumble Bee
What is Hunt's Bumble Bee?
Hunt's Bumble Bee (Bombus huntii) is a species in the family Apidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How do you identify Hunt's Bumble Bee?
Yellow hairs on face. Bombus centralis looks similar but B. centralis females usually have T2 yellow and T4 orange, whereas B. huntii has T2 orange and T4 yellow.
What does Hunt's Bumble Bee eat?
The diet of the Hunt's Bumble Bee includes Visits a wide range of flowers including composites (Asteraceae) and legumes (Fabaceae). The Hosts section of its Discover Life species page lists known associations based on specimen records and images..