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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] |
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 que ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bumblebee
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 q ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombus Bohemicus
''Bombus bohemicus'', also known as the gypsy's cuckoo bumblebee, is a species of socially parasitic cuckoo bumblebee found in most of Europe with the exception of the southern Iberian Peninsula and Iceland. ''B. bohemicus'' practices inquilinism, or brood parasitism, of other bumblebee species. ''B. bohemicus'' is a generalist parasite, successfully invading several species from genus ''Bombus''. The invading queen mimics the host nest's chemical signals, allowing her to assume a reproductively dominant role as well as manipulation of host worker fertility and behavior. Taxonomy and phylogeny ''B. bohemicus'' is part of the order Hymenoptera, which includes ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies, the family ''Apidae'', specific to bees, and the genus ''Bombus'', which includes all bumblebees. ''B. bohemicus'' belongs to the subgenus ''Psithyrus'', or the cuckoo bees, which includes 29 species found in Europe and the New World. Species in this subgenus are obligate parasites of other ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombus Citrinus
''Bombus citrinus'' is a species of bumblebee known commonly as the lemon cuckoo bumblebee due to its lemon-yellow color. It is native to eastern North America.Hatfield, R., et al. 2014''Bombus citrinus''.The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 04 March 2016. This is a cuckoo bumblebee, one that invades the colonies of other bumblebees, kills the resident queen, and takes control over the population of workers inside. Host bees for this species include the common eastern bumblebee (''Bombus impatiens'') and the half-black bumblebee ('' B. vagans''). Before the queen invades a nest she forages on various plants, such as asters, thistles, snakeroots, blazing-stars, mountain-mints, and goldenrods. Phylogeny ''Bombus citrinus'' belongs to the parasitic ''Bombus'' subgenus ''Psithyrus''. A previous classification had ''Psithyrus'' listed as its own genus, and so this species used to be identified as ''Psithyrus citrinus''. Members of ''Psithyrus'' are distinguis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombus Vestalis
''Bombus vestalis'', the vestal cuckoo bumblebee, is a species of cuckoo bumblebee that lives in most of Europe, as well as North Africa and western Asia. It is a brood parasite that takes over the nests of other bee species. Its primary host is ''Bombus terrestris'' (the buff-tailed bumblebee). After its initial classification as ''Psithyrus vestalis'', this bumblebee recently was reclassified into the genus ''Bombus'', subgenus ''Psithyrus''. Description The queen is a large bumblebee with a length up to and a wingspan of ; the male is considerably smaller (). The bumblebee is predominantly black, with an orange collar. The third tergite has a border of yellow hairs, and the hairs on the fifth tergite are mostly white. The males are similar to the females, but smaller and with longer antennae. It is similar in appearance to another cuckoo bumblebee, ''Bombus bohemicus'', but is distinguishable by either the length of the antennal segments or dissection and comparison of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombus Sylvestris
''Bombus sylvestris'', known as the forest cuckoo bumblebee or four-coloured cuckoo bee, is a species of cuckoo bumblebee, found in most of Europe and Russia. Its main hosts are ''Bombus pratorum'', ''Bombus jonellus'', and ''Bombus monticola''. As a cuckoo bumblebee, ''Bombus sylvestris'' lays its eggs in another bumblebee's nest. This type of bee leaves their young to the workers of another nest for rearing, allowing cuckoo bumblebees to invest minimal energy and resources in their young while still keeping the survival of their young intact. Taxonomy and phylogeny ''Bombus sylvestris'' belongs to the order Hymenoptera. Specifically, the species falls under the family Apidae, which further subdivides into the subfamily Apinae, and then the tribe Bombini. Description and identification This is a small bumblebee; the queen has a body length of and the male one of . The head is round, and the proboscis is short. Its fur is black with a yellow collar and a white tail. S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombus Insularis
''Bombus insularis'' is a species of bumblebee in the subgenus ''Psithyrus'', the cuckoo bumblebees. It is native to northern and western North America, where it occurs throughout Canada, Alaska, the northern United States, and some western states. It is known commonly as the indiscriminate cuckoo bumblebee.Hatfield, R., et al. 2014''Bombus insularis''.The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 08 March 2016.NatureServe. 2015''Bombus insularis''.NatureServe Explorer Version 7.1. Accessed 8 March 2016. The female of the species is 1.6 to 1.9 centimeters long and just under a centimeter wide. The head is black with tufts of yellow hairs and the thorax is coated in long pale yellow hairs. The legs are hairy black. The abdomen has is black with yellow along the sides. The male is smaller, about half a centimeter wide at the abdomen. The head has long black hairs with small patches of yellow and the abdomen has strips of yellow and black hairs. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombus Rupestris
''Bombus rupestris'' is a species of cuckoo bumblebee present in most of Europe except Iceland. In the Balkans it is found in montane and alpine habitats northwards from Central Greece. It is also found in Turkey. Description The female is much larger than the male; she has a length of , while the drone usually is not more than . The bumblebee is black, with the last abdominal segments coloured orange-red. Due to its parasitic lifestyle, no workers exist. Behaviour ''Bombus rupestris'' is found in flower-rich habitats, such as meadows and along hedgerows. The bumblebee parasitizes the nests of the red-tailed bumblebee, ''B. lapidarius'', whose queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ... is killed or subjugated. References Bumblebees Hymenoptera of Europe In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombus Campestris
''Bombus campestris'' is a very common cuckoo bumblebee found in most of Europe. Description The bumblebee is of medium length, the queen having an average length of , and the male . The fur of the queen is quite thin on the dorsal (upper) side. The collar, and in some cases the top of the head, is orange-yellow, while the terga (abdominal segments) 3–5 have yellow sides with a black centre; the rest of the body is black. The fur of the male is more variable: A pale form exists, with a broad, pale yellow collar, yellow hairs on top of the head, pale hairs on the sides of the otherwise black first tergite, a yellow line along the posterior rim, terga 3–6 pale yellow, usually with a black, thin, centre line. As for the queen, the rest of the body is black. The dark form is entirely black except for a thin, diffuse band on the collar and yellow hairs on the sides of terga 4–6. Intermediate forms exist. Both queens and males can be melanistic. In western Scotland, the subspe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombus Suckleyi
''Bombus suckleyi'' is a species of bumblebee known commonly as Suckley's cuckoo bumblebee, named after biologist George Suckley.NatureServe. 2015''Bombus suckleyi''.NatureServe Explorer Version 7.1. Accessed 10 March 2016. Suckley's bumble bee is a generalist pollinator and represents a rare group of obligate, parasitic bumble bees (cuckoo bumble bees). Suckley's bumble bee is a social-parasite because it invades the nests of the host bumble bees, including the western bumble bee (''Bombus occidentalis''), and relies on host species workers to provision its larvae. It is native to northwestern North America, including Alaska and parts of western and central Canada and the western United States. Taxonomy Bumble bees are members of the genus ''Bombus'' within the insect order Hymenoptera and family Apidae. ''Bombus suckleyi'' was first described by John Greene and named after George Suckley. Suckley's bumble bee and all cuckoo bumble bees are classified under the subgenus ''Psith ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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