Bumble Bees of Illinois

Bumble Bees of Illinois

While other species reach into the far north, most bumble bees found in Illinois belong to one of the following species: B. affinis (Bombus s.s.), B. auricomus (Bombias), B. bimaculatus (Pyrobombus), B. citrinus (Psithyrus), B. fervidus (Fervidobombus), B. fraternus (Fraternobombus), B. griseocollis (Separatobombus), B. impatiens (Pyrobombus), B. pensylvanicus (Fervidobombus), B. vagans (Pyrobombus), and B. variabilis (Psithyrus). Photos of the more common of these species from the Champaign-Urbana area are included below.

Bombus (Bombias) auricomus (Robertson)

H. Hines and A. Deans, June 2006 Queen	H. Hines and A. Deans, June 2006 Queen on milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
H. Hines, June 2003 Queen on Baptisia	H. Hines and A. Deans, June 2006 Queen on milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Bombus (Pyrobombus) bimaculatus Cresson

H. Hines, July 2005 worker on Baptisia	H. Hines, June 2007 male with abberant coloration
Hines, June 2007 worker on Penstemon	Hines, June 2007 male

Bombus (Fervidobombus) fervidus (Fabricius)

H. Hines, July 2005 worker on Echinacea pallida	H. Hines, July 2005 worker on Echinacea pallida
H. Hines, July 2005 worker on Baptisia

Bombus (Separatobombus) griseocollis (DeGeer)

H. Hines and A. Deans, June 2006

male on Echinacea pallida

H. Hines and A. Deans, June 2006

big-eyed male on milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

H. Hines, July 2005

male on Echinacea pallida

H. Hines, July 2005

male

H. Hines and A. Deans, June 2006

male on Echinacea pallida

Bombus (Pyrobombus) impatiens Cresson

L. and J. Rodriguez, 2004

abberant color form on sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis)

H. Hines and A. Deans, June 2006

worker on Echinacea

H. Hines, September 2004

worker on thistle (Cirsium sp.)

H. Hines, September 2004

worker on thistle (Cirsium sp.)

Bombus (Fervidobombus) pensylvanicus (DeGeer)

H. Hines, July 2005

worker on Baptisia

H. Hines, July 2005

worker on Baptisia