Van Dyke's Bumble Bee
Bombus vandykei
This record describes Bombus vandykei (species). Recorded family: Apidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Females resemble the sympatric and generally more numerous vosnesenskii, but in vandykei the yellow band is on T3 rather than T4. This character is often hard to observe in the field so this species is under-recorded in visual and photographic surveys. Males are extensively yellow, as in B. perplexus of northern and eastern North America, with a contrasting black tip to the metasoma and a variable amount of black hairs on the scutum. These have been confused with the much larger B. fervidus, but these are rarely sympatric and differ considerably in structure (note subgeneric characters). Coloration can vary from these general patterns: females in northern OR and WA may have yellow on the sides of T2 and T4; rarely females in CA are all-black and resemble small carpenter bees; rarely males are relatively dark with yellow only at the front of the thorax and on T2 and T3. May be under-recorded in bumble bee surveys due to great similarity of females to the ubiquitous B. vosnesenskii and its preference for drier habitats than those preferred by many other bumble bee species (and by bumble bee specialists).
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
Relatively dry shrubby habitat seems to be preferred.
Geographic Range
Characteristic of relatively dry foothills of the Pacific Coastal States but also extends locally to higher mountains and lowlands.
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: Frison, 1927
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Bombus vandykei. 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 Van Dyke's Bumble Bee (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Hartmut Wisch; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Domingo Zungri , John S. Ascher
Frequently Asked Questions About Van Dyke's Bumble Bee
What is Van Dyke's Bumble Bee?
Van Dyke's Bumble Bee (Bombus vandykei) is a species in the family Apidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is Van Dyke's Bumble Bee?
Small
How do you identify Van Dyke's Bumble Bee?
Females resemble the sympatric and generally more numerous vosnesenskii, but in vandykei the yellow band is on T3 rather than T4. This character is often hard to observe in the field so this species is under-recorded in visual and photographic surveys. Males are extensively yellow, as in B. perplexus of northern and eastern North America, with a contrasting black tip to the metasoma and a variable amount of black hairs on the scutum. These have been confused with the much larger B. fervidus, but these are rarely sympatric and differ considerably in structure (note subgeneric characters). Coloration can vary from these general patterns: females in northern OR and WA may have yellow on the sides of T2 and T4; rarely females in CA are all-black and resemble small carpenter bees; rarely males are relatively dark with yellow only at the front of the thorax and on T2 and T3.
Where is Van Dyke's Bumble Bee found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Relatively dry shrubby habitat seems to be preferred. |
| Range | Characteristic of relatively dry foothills of the Pacific Coastal States but also extends locally to higher mountains and lowlands. |
What does Van Dyke's Bumble Bee eat?
The diet of the Van Dyke's Bumble Bee includes The Hosts section of its Discover Life species page lists known associations based on specimen records and images..