Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus)

Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus) photo

Photo credit: Rich Hatfield

Bumble bee illustrations: Paul Williams (identification and color patterns) and Elaine Evans (bee body design).

Identifying Features

Status: Common
Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus) illustration Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus) illustration 2

"Yellow face"; "T1 yellow"; "T2-3 black or red"; "T4 with some yellow (often in red form with just a faint yellow line, in black form, all yellow)"

Range

Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus) range map

When to Look

Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus) range phenology

Floral Associations

Ceanothus, Rhododendron, Symphoricarpos, Vaccinium, Wyethia


Look Alike Species

B. bifarius, B. huntii, B. rufocinctus, B. sylvicola