Fort Laramie National Historic Site Bumble Bee Guide 🐝

Size:
Queen 18 - 23 mm
Worker 10 - 16 mm
Male 12 - 18 mm
Plant Association: Cirsium, Dipsacus, Helianthus, Medicago, Phacelia, Trifolium
Nest: Nests underground or on the surface of the ground
Similar Species:
Rusty-patched Bumble Bee (B. affinis)
Southern Plains Bumble Bee (B. fraternus)
Morrison's Bumble Bee (B. morrisoni)
Red-belted Bumble Bee (B. rufocinctus)
Phenology:
Males: Late July to Early September
Workers: Slow increase from April to Mid-June, Full peak from Mid-June to Late September
Queens: Late March to Late June, Small peaks in August and November less ↑

Queen 22 - 26 mm
Worker 13 - 19 mm
Male 15 - 21 mm
Floral Association: Chrysothamnus, Gossypium, Helianthus, Kallstroemia, Linaria, and Viguiera
Nest: Nests mostly on the surface of the ground, occasionally underground
Similar Species:
Golden Northern Bumble Bee (B. fervidus)
White-shouldered Bumble Bee (B. appositus)
Nevada Bumble Bee (B. nevadensis)
Other regions:
Northern Amber Bumble Bee (B. borealis) Canadian Maritimes and eastern US in Temperate and Boreal Forest regions
Black and Gold Bumble Bee (B. auricomus) Eastern Temperate Forest region
Northern Yellow Bumble Bee (B. distinguendus) Alaska + Europe and Asia
Phenology:
Males: Mid-August to Late October
Workers: Late August to Mid-October
Queens: Late May to Early July, with a small peak in September and October less ↑

Size: Body size large
Queen 25 - 27 mm
Worker 15 - 19 mm
Male 22 - 25 mm
Floral Association: Asters, Cirsium, Hypericum, Monarda, Rhus, Solanum
Nest: Nests underground
Similar Species:
Rusty-patched Bumble Bee (B. affinis)
Brown-belted Bumble Bee (B. griseocollis)
Red-belted Bumble Bee (B. rufocinctus)
Phenology:
Males: August to September
Workers: April-September
Queens: April-October less ↑