Bumble Bee Head Color
The bumble bee field guide can help you become familiar with the bumble bees in your region. Using the head, thorax, and abdomen filters (choose the color patterns you observe on the bee you'd like to identify) you can about bumble bee identification, and when selecting a species you will about their ecology - range map, important host plants, and look. The bumblebee's head is mainly black in color and its thorax can either be tan or black.
At first glance, the bumblebee's small size makes it difficult to differentiate between different species, however looking at the bands on its body can be very helpful in distinguishing one type of bumblebee from another. Bumble bee species can be differentiated by the pattern of different-colored bands or body segments. Looking at the bee's back from above and taking note of the color patterns from head to thorax is the most critical factor in identifying a specific species of bumble bee.
yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons)
These segments can be black, brown, buff, yellow, red, orange, or white. Like many other insect groups, accurate identification of bumble bee species can be a little tricky. Within a species, individual color patterns can vary.
Male bumble bees often have color patterns that differ markedly from those of females (queens, workers). Don't let that intimidate you, however. What Bee Has A Red Head? The Red-headed Masked Bee (Hylaeus ruficeps) and the Red-Belted Bumble Bee (Bombus rufocinctus) are notable native bees in North America.
Key to Female Bumble Bees of Oklahoma | Oklahoma State University
The Red-Belted Bumble Bee features a distinct abdomen with red, black, and yellow bands, along with a black and yellow thorax. Bumble bees have stout, hairy, robust bodies - usually with black, yellow, and/or red coloration. Bumble bees are variable in size and color patterns, even within a single species, which can make identification challenging.
While color variation makes identification difficult, the coloration and pattern of stripes on the abdomen and thorax are often used to distinguish one bumble bee species. A bumble bee's thorax will generally be yellow or a mix of yellow and black. The amount and location of yellow/black hair on the thorax can help determine the identification of a species.
Bumblebee head - Stock Image - C057/1648 - Science Photo Library
1. Yellow on Ab 1-4 2. Orange/red on all of Ab 2-3 Black Yellow on on top top & front & front of head.
of head. Sides of Sides of thorax thorax yellow. with brown.
Bombus fervidus Bombus borealis yellow bumble bee boreal bumble bee Black stripe between wings contd. Learn how to accurately identify bumble bee species with our comprehensive guide, covering characteristics, habitats, and identification tools. Get expert tips on distinguishing between similar species and the impact of climate change.
This key may not work as well in other parts of the country Some interpretive notes: Red is often short-hand for orange, in descriptions Light colored area may be either yellow or white on a given individual, e.g., Two form bumble bee. Golden refers to a deep rich yellow, e.g., Nevada bumble bee ID means the key has predicted a species based on previous questions.
