Bombus variabilis explained

Bombus variabilis is a critically endangered species of cuckoo bumblebee that occurs in North America. It has not been observed in the United States in at least 20 years and is potentially extirpated or extinct.^[1]

Bombus variabilis^[2] is a parasitic species. Females kill and replace the queens of B. pensylvanicus, taking over their nests in the process. The decline of the latter as hosts can partially be linked to the decline of B. variabilis. This species of bee can be distinguished by the lack of pollen baskets. The bee features have a dark face with yellow hair in its vertex and with dark brown wings. Its thorax has variations between black spots or patches. For females, they only have black abdomens but males can vary in their hair color patterns.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Portman . Zachary M. . Gardner . Joel . Lane . Ian G. . Gerjets . Nicole . Petersen . Jessica D. . Ascher . John S. . Arduser . Mike . Evans . Elaine C. . Boyd . Crystal . Thomson . Robin . Cariveau . Daniel P. . A checklist of the bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Minnesota . Zootaxa . 16 June 2023 . 5304 . 1 . 1–95 . 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5304.1.1.
2. L. Figueroa. Laura. A. Bergey. Elizabeth. October 1, 2015. Bumble Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) of Oklahoma: Past and Present Biodiversity. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 88. 4. 418–429. 10.2317/0022-8567-88.4.418.
3. Web site: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Variable Cuckoo Bumblebee. Group). Sarina Jepsen (IUCN SSC Bumblebee Specialist. Assessments). Sheila Colla (North American Bumblebee. 2014-08-19. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020-03-06. Society). Sarah Foltz Jordan (Xerces. Richard Hatfield (The Xerces Society. Portland. Robbin Thorp (University of California. Davis. Richardson. Leif.