Bombus_auricomus
Bombus auricomus
Species of bee
Bombus auricomus is a species of bumblebee known by the common name black and gold bumblebee.[1] It is native to eastern North America, including Ontario in Canada and much of the eastern United States, as far west as the Great Plains.[1]
This species creates above-ground nests in grassland and other open habitat types. It feeds at many types of plants, including thistles, prairie clovers, delphiniums, teasels, echinacea, bergamot, penstemons, clovers, and vetches.[1]
This is a fairly large bumblebee; workers and males are about 1.7 to 2.0 cm long, while queens can be up to 2.5 cm in length. [2]
This bee was previously thought to be conspecific with the Nevada bumblebee (B. nevadensis), but the two are now considered separate species.[1]
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