Fuzzy-horned Bumble Bee
Bombus mixtus
This record describes Bombus mixtus (species). Recorded family: Apidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Red tail tip separated by black from pale hairs on T1 and T2 (at least mediobasally) in combination with some admixture of black hairs on the anterior scutum is distinctive. Males have a distinctive patch of dense hairs on basal segments of their flagellum (only visible from certain angles) and this is useful for separating them from frigidus. Also, in mixtus males the red tail tip is separated from yellow basal tergal segments. In mixtus the apicolateral corners of T2 are often black whereas in frigidus all of T2 is yellow. Widely distributed and common in western mountains
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
Habitat
includes mountain meadows
Geographic Range
western North America. Records mapped in the Williams et al. guide from the eastern United States are unprecedented and surely all erroneous. a report in the text from Maritime NB, not represented in the maps, is questionable at best.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: 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: Cresson, 1878
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Bombus mixtus. 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 Fuzzy-horned Bumble Bee (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Sean McCann; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , John S. Ascher
Frequently Asked Questions About Fuzzy-horned Bumble Bee
What is Fuzzy-horned Bumble Bee?
Fuzzy-horned Bumble Bee (Bombus mixtus) is a species in the family Apidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is Fuzzy-horned Bumble Bee?
Relatively small
How do you identify Fuzzy-horned Bumble Bee?
Red tail tip separated by black from pale hairs on T1 and T2 (at least mediobasally) in combination with some admixture of black hairs on the anterior scutum is distinctive. Males have a distinctive patch of dense hairs on basal segments of their flagellum (only visible from certain angles) and this is useful for separating them from frigidus. Also, in mixtus males the red tail tip is separated from yellow basal tergal segments. In mixtus the apicolateral corners of T2 are often black whereas in frigidus all of T2 is yellow.
Where is Fuzzy-horned Bumble Bee found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | includes mountain meadows |
| Range | western North America. Records mapped in the Williams et al. guide from the eastern United States are unprecedented and surely all erroneous. a report in the text from Maritime NB, not represented in the maps, is questionable at best. |
What does Fuzzy-horned Bumble Bee eat?
The diet of the Fuzzy-horned Bumble Bee includes The Hosts section of its Discover Life species page lists known associations based on specimen records and images..