Bombus dahlbomii

Bombus dahlbomii Facts

• Most notably, the Bombus dahlbomii ranks as one of the largest bees known to man. Due to its great size, along with its appearance, it has unique nickname, however. Some people refer to individuals as flying mice.
• But quite unfortunately, it now finds itself in great danger of extinction. This occurs due to a combination of reasons. Not surprisingly, given these factors, the IUCN now lists it as Endangered.
• Firstly, its numbers began to drastically decline following the introduction of two invasive species. Rather surprisingly, though, both of those species are other types of bumblebee.
• In addition, though, its population has also been greatly impacted by a particular pathogen. This was also introduced into its population by one of the two invasive bumblebee species.

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Bombus dahlbomii Physical Description

First of all, the predominant coloring of the Bombus dahlbomii remains quite striking. That’s because it primarily displays a reddish-orange color. But its abdomen typically shows a somewhat lighter shade of the same hue. Meanwhile, the wing, leg, and head area show black.

Further, like related bees, that abdomen has a rounded tip to it. It also has comparatively short antennae. In addition, the majority of the body has a dense covering of relatively long bristles. It therefore has a quite furry appearance.

Yet, the sheer size of this remarkable insect remains its most notable characteristic, hence the nickname. This holds true because mature queens measure an astonishing 1.6 in (4 cm) in total length.

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Hymenoptera
• Family: Apidae
• Genus: Bombus
• Species: B. dahlbomii

Bombus dahlbomii Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

Quite unfortunately, the Bombus dahlbomii has a somewhat restricted native habitat range. That’s because it only lives in a small portion of South America. Further, this area only covers Patagonia, in the southern sections of Argentina and Chile.

In addition, even there it only inhabits a specific environment. That further consists of the many temperate forests in the region. That’s due to the fact that it remains highly dependent on the flowering plants of the region.

Like many related invertebrates, the fascinating Bombus dahlbomii lives as a colonial insect. However, the colonies rarely become as large as some others. Typically, these consist of one queen and roughly 100 workers.

Additionally, just as other types of bee, this species feeds on the nectar and pollen of various plants. But, this species prefers to keep its foraging patterns small. It only forages long distances when local resources are scarce.

Species Sharing Its Range

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