Yellow-banded Bumble Bee
Bombus terricola
This record describes Bombus terricola (species). Recorded family: Apidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
see discoverlife.org for detailed descriptions of queen and male; worker resembles queen in general, but pubescence relatively longer **Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species ** Declines of this species were first noted by John S. Ascher at Ithaca, New York, ca. 2001. In the 1990s this was one of the most common bumble bees in that region, but afterwards few individuals were detected. The species persists in relatively large numbers at some sites, especially in the northern portion of its range, but it has undoubtedly declined severely.
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
northern and eastern North America? Most records from the Rocky Mountains of the USA mapped in the Williams et al. guide surely pertain to misidentified occidentalis.
Seasonal Activity
April to October
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: Kirby, 1837.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Bombus terricola. 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 Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Beatriz Moisset; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , John S. Ascher , Vox Sciurorum , Nathaniel Green
Frequently Asked Questions About Yellow-banded Bumble Bee
What is Yellow-banded Bumble Bee?
Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (Bombus terricola) is a species in the family Apidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is Yellow-banded Bumble Bee?
queen: body length 17-19 mm male: 13-17 mm worker: 9-14 mm
How do you identify Yellow-banded Bumble Bee?
see discoverlife.org for detailed descriptions of queen and male; worker resembles queen in general, but pubescence relatively longer
Where is Yellow-banded Bumble Bee found?
Range: northern and eastern North America? Most records from the Rocky Mountains of the USA mapped in the Williams et al. guide surely pertain to misidentified occidentalis.
What does Yellow-banded Bumble Bee eat?
The diet of the Yellow-banded Bumble Bee includes The Hosts section of its Discover Life species page lists known associations based on specimen records and images..
When is Yellow-banded Bumble Bee active?
Yellow-banded Bumble Bee: seasonal activity - April to October.