Bombus Variabilis

	Bombus Variabilis ''Bombus variabilis'' is a critically endangered species of cuckoo bumblebee Cuckoo bumblebees are members of the subgenus ''Psithyrus'' in the bumblebee genus ''Bumblebee, Bombus''. Until recently, the 28 species of ''Psithyrus'' were considered to constitute a separate genus. They are a specialized Social parasitism (b .... ''B. variabilis'' 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.'' References Bumblebees Insects described in 1872 {{bombus-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Psithyrus Cuckoo bumblebees are members of the subgenus ''Psithyrus'' in the bumblebee genus ''Bombus''. Until recently, the 28 species of ''Psithyrus'' were considered to constitute a separate genus. They are a specialized socially parasitic lineage which parasitises the nests of 'true' bumblebees, resulting in the loss of the ability to collect pollen and establish their own nests. Cuckoo bumblebees do not create a worker caste and produce only male and female reproductives. They are considered inquilines in the colonies of 'true' bumblebees. Cuckoo bumblebee females emerge from hibernation later than their host species to ensure that their host has had sufficient time to establish a nest. Before finding and invading a host colony, a ''Psithyrus'' female feeds directly from flowers until her ovaries are sufficiently developed, at which time she begins seeking a nest to invade. Once she has located and infiltrated a host colony, the ''Psithyrus'' female usurps the nest by killing or su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Bombus Pensylvanicus ''Bombus pensylvanicus'', the American bumblebee, is a threatened species of bumblebee native to North America. It occurs in eastern Canada, throughout much of the Eastern United States, and much of Mexico.Hatfield, R., et al. 2015''Bombus pensylvanicus''.The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 09 March 2016. Once the most prevalent bumblebee in the southern United States, populations of ''Bombus pensylvanicus'' have decreased significantly in recent years, including in its scientific namesake state of Pennsylvania where its numbers are considered critically low. Overall, the population has dropped nearly 90% in just the last 20 years. ''Bombus pensylvanicus'' tends to live and nest in open farmland and fields. It feeds on several food plants, favoring sunflowers and clovers, and functions as a pollinator. Taxonomy and phylogenetics ''Bombus pensylvanicus'' belongs to the order Hymenoptera (consisting of ants, wasps, bees, and sawflies), the family Apidae (consist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
picture info	Bumblebees A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related genera (e.g., ''Calyptapis'') are known from fossils. They are found primarily in higher altitudes or latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, although they are also found in South America, where a few lowland tropical species have been identified. European bumblebees have also been introduced to New Zealand and Tasmania. Female bumblebees can sting repeatedly, but generally ignore humans and other animals. Most bumblebees are social insects that form colonies with a single queen. The colonies are smaller than those of honey bees, growing to as few as 50 individuals in a nest. Cuckoo bumblebees are brood parasitic and do not make nests or form colonies; their queens aggressively invade the nests of other bumblebee species, kill the resident queen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]