[NatureNS] Bumble bee

References: <6.2.1.2.0.20061005144033.01e6e368@pop1.ns.sympatico.ca> <C14BF0BA.5943%david_mccorquodale@capebretonu.ca> <6.2.1.2.0.20061006200039.01e38cb8@pop1.ns.sympatico.ca>
From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 14:39:29 -0300
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Hi Angus,

It does look like Bombus (Pyrobombus) impatiens Cresson 1863 from  
what one can see.

Cheers,

Chris

On 6-Oct-06, at 8:07 PM, Angus MacLean wrote:

> Hi David:
> Thanks for the i.d. and the additional tips. Obviously I need  
> better photos.
>
> As for Bombus impatiens there was one species that was quite common  
> a few days ago and may be this species. Here is one photo:
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/58321572@N00/262568575/
>
> However I thought there was one similar one that did not have the  
> lightish abdominal banding but likely there is variation in that  
> aspect as some I saw had even more distinct banding.
> Cheers,
> Angus
>
> At 11:38 AM 10/6/2006, you wrote:
>> On 10/5/06 3:20 PM, "Angus MacLean" <angusmcl@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
>>
>> > Yesterday I spent some time in Palmeter Woods (West Kentville).
>> > One of the Bees had an orange band across the abdomen. This is  
>> not one of
>> > the (14) Bombus species found in NS and  I don't know which  
>> genera it
>> > belongs to. I could not get a good photo yesterday (continually  
>> moving) but
>> > I found one that I photographed on August 17 which is here:
>> >
>> > http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=261608676&size=m
>> >
>> > Sorry for the quality. Can anyone offer a lead?
>> > Angus
>> >
>> Angus:
>>
>> There are two species of bumble bees in NS that have reddish  
>> abdomens.  The
>> most common. To my eye the one you have photographed is _Bombus  
>> ternarius_.
>> The feature I use to clinch the identification is the pattern of  
>> black on
>> the thorax.  It has an arrow that points back between the wings.   
>> The top
>> view photos at
>> http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?search=Bombus 
>> +ternarius&guide=Bumblebees
>> show this.  However that is difficult to see in this photograph.
>>
>> The other reddish species, _Bombus rufocinctus_ has a black middle  
>> of the
>> thorax, but lacks the backwards pointing arrow.
>>
>> The best source for identification is Laverty and Harder. 1988.   
>> The bumble
>> bees of eastern Canada.  Canadian Entomologist 120: 965-987. It  
>> has a good
>> series of line drawings showing colours on workers, queens and  
>> males.  For
>> most species this works for identification, and those that it does  
>> not work
>> for are pointed out.
>>
>> Since records were compiled for this in the mid-1980s, there has  
>> been a
>> large increase in populations of _Bombus impatiens_ in NS.    In  
>> the early
>> 1990s I did not find them on Cape Breton at all.  This fall, they  
>> are the
>> most common species I have seen, from Bon Portage to Georges River  
>> in Cape
>> Breton.
>>
>>
>> David McCorquodale
>>
>>
>> David McCorquodale
>> Department of Biology
>> Cape Breton University
>> Box 5300, 1250 Grand Lake Rd., Sydney, NS B1P 6L2, CANADA
>> 902-563-1260    david_mccorquodale@capebretonu.ca  FAX: 902-563-1880

_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.
Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H 3A6
(902) 424-6435   Email <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.


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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Angus,<DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span">It does look like=A0<I>Bombus (Pyrobombus) =
impatiens</I> Cresson 1863 from what one can see.</SPAN></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Cheers,</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Chris</DIV><DIV><BR><DIV><DIV=
>On 6-Oct-06, at 8:07 PM, Angus MacLean wrote:</DIV><BR =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">Hi David:</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Thanks for =
the i.d. and the additional tips. Obviously I need better =
photos.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">As for Bombus impatiens there was one species that =
was quite common a few days ago and may be this species. Here is one =
photo:</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><A =
href=3D"http://www.flickr.com/photos/58321572@N00/262568575/">http://www.f=
lickr.com/photos/58321572@N00/262568575/</A></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">However =
I thought there was one similar one that did not have the lightish =
abdominal banding but likely there is variation in that aspect as some I =
saw had even more distinct banding.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
">Cheers,</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Angus</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">At 11:38 =
AM 10/6/2006, you wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">On 10/5/06 3:20 PM, "Angus MacLean" &lt;<A =
href=3D"mailto:angusmcl@ns.sympatico.ca">angusmcl@ns.sympatico.ca</A>&gt; =
wrote:</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">&gt; Yesterday I spent some time in Palmeter Woods =
(West Kentville).</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">&gt; One of the Bees had an =
orange band across the abdomen. This is not one of</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">&gt; the (14) Bombus species found in NS and<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>I don't know which genera =
it</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; ">&gt; belongs to. I could not get a good photo =
yesterday (continually moving) but</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">&gt; I found =
one that I photographed on August 17 which is here:</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">&gt;</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">&gt; <A =
href=3D"http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=3D261608676&size=3Dm">http=
://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=3D261608676&amp;size=3Dm</A></DIV><DIV=
 style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">&gt;</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">&gt; Sorry =
for the quality. Can anyone offer a lead?</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">&gt; =
Angus</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">&gt;</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">Angus:</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: =
14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">There are two species of bumble =
bees in NS that have reddish abdomens.<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>The</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">most common. To my eye the one you have photographed =
is _Bombus ternarius_.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The feature I use to clinch =
the identification is the pattern of black on</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">the thorax.<SPAN class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 =
</SPAN>It has an arrow that points back between the wings.<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>The top</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">view photos at</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><A =
href=3D"http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?search=3DBombus+ternarius&guide=3D=
Bumblebees">http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?search=3DBombus+ternarius&amp=
;guide=3DBumblebees</A></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">show =
this.<SPAN class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>However that is =
difficult to see in this photograph.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: =
14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The other reddish species, =
_Bombus rufocinctus_ has a black middle of the</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">thorax, but lacks the backwards pointing =
arrow.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">The best source for identification is Laverty and =
Harder. 1988.<SPAN class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>The =
bumble</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">bees of eastern Canada.<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>Canadian Entomologist 120: =
965-987. It has a good</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">series of line drawings =
showing colours on workers, queens and males.<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>For</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">most species this works for identification, and =
those that it does not work</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">for are =
pointed out.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">Since records were compiled for this in the =
mid-1980s, there has been a</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">large =
increase in populations of _Bombus impatiens_ in NS.<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 =A0 </SPAN>In the early</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">1990s I did not find them on Cape Breton at =
all.<SPAN class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>This fall, they are =
the</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">most common species I have seen, =
from Bon Portage to Georges River in Cape</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
">Breton.</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">David =
McCorquodale</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">David =
McCorquodale</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Department of Biology</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">Cape Breton University</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Box =
5300, 1250 Grand Lake Rd., Sydney, NS B1P 6L2, CANADA</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">902-563-1260<SPAN class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 =
=A0 </SPAN><A =
href=3D"mailto:david_mccorquodale@capebretonu.ca">david_mccorquodale@capeb=
retonu.ca</A><SPAN class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>FAX: =
902-563-1880</DIV> </BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><DIV> <P =
style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Times">_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._=
._._._.</FONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT =
face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Times">Christopher Majka =
- Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History</FONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: =
0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Times">1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>B3H 3A6</FONT></P> <P =
style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Times">(902) 424-6435 <SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>Email &lt;<A =
href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca</A>&gt;</F=
ONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times"=
 size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Times">_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._=
._._._.</FONT></P>  </DIV><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>=

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